A61K47/51—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent

A61K47/54—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent the modifying agent being an organic compound

A61K47/51—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent

A61K47/54—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent the modifying agent being an organic compound

A61K47/51—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent

A61K47/62—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent the modifying agent being a protein, peptide or polyamino acid

A61K47/51—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent

A61K47/62—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent the modifying agent being a protein, peptide or polyamino acid

A61K47/64—Drug-peptide, drug-protein or drug-polyamino acid conjugates, i.e. the modifying agent being a peptide, protein or polyamino acid which is covalently bonded or complexed to a therapeutically active agent

Abstract

Ligand-conjugated oligomeric compounds are described wherein ligands are conjugated to one or more sites on an oligomeric compound including the 2′-, 3′-, 5′-, nucleobase and internucleotide linkage sites. The ligand can be attached via an optional linking group. Ligands are selected for conjugation that bind to one or more cellular, serum or vascular proteins imparting enhanced pharmacokinetic properties to the resulting ligand-conjugated oligomeric compounds. Also provided are methods for increasing the concentration of an oligonucleotide in serum and methods for increasing the capacity of serum for an oligonucleotide. Further, methods for increasing the binding of an oligonucleotide to a portion of the vascular system is described. Also provided are methods for promoting cellular uptake of an oligonucleotide in cells.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to ligand-conjugated oligomeric compounds which bind to protein molecules and possess enhanced pharmacokinetic properties. The present invention further relates to methods for increasing the concentration of oligomeric compounds in serum and methods for promoting the cellular uptake of oligomeric compounds in cells.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Protein synthesis is directed by nucleic acids through the intermediacy of messenger RNA (mRNA). Antisense methodology is the complementary hybridization of relatively short oligonucleotides to mRNA or DNA such that the normal, essential functions, such as protein synthesis, of these intracellular nucleic acids are disrupted. Hybridization is the sequence-specific hydrogen bonding via Watson-Crick base pairs of oligonucleotides to RNA or single-stranded DNA. Such base pairs are said to be complementary to one another.

The naturally-occurring events that provide the disruption of the nucleic acid function, discussed by Cohen (Oligonucleotides: Antisense Inhibitors of Gene Expression, CRC Press, Inc., 1989, Boca Raton, Fla.) are thought to be of two types. The first, hybridization arrest, describes the terminating event in which the oligonucleotide inhibitor binds to the target nucleic acid and thus prevents, by simple steric hindrance, the binding of essential proteins, most often ribosomes, to the nucleic acid. Methyl phosphonate oligonucleotides (Miller et al. (1987) Anti-Cancer Drug Design, 2:117-128), and α-anomer oligonucleotides are the two most extensively studied antisense agents which are thought to disrupt nucleic acid function by hybridization arrest.

Another means by which antisense oligonucleotides disrupt nucleic acid function is by hybridization to a target mRNA, followed by enzymatic cleavage of the targeted RNA by intracellular RNase H. A 2′-deoxyribofuranosyl oligonucleotide or oligonucleotide analog hybridizes with the targeted RNA and this duplex activates the RNase H enzyme to cleave the RNA strand, thus destroying the normal function of the RNA. Phosphorothioate oligonucleotides are the most prominent example of an antisense agent that operates by this type of antisense terminating event.

Considerable research is being directed to the application of oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs as antisense agents for diagnostics, research applications and potential therapeutic purposes. One of the major hurdles that has only partially been overcome in vivo is efficient cellular uptake which is severely hampered by the rapid degradation and excretion of oligonucleotides. The generally accepted process of cellular uptake is by receptor-mediated endocytosis which is dependent on the temperature and concentration of the oligonucleotides in serum and extra vascular fluids.

Efforts aimed at improving the transmembrane delivery of nucleic acids and oligonucleotides have utilized protein carriers, antibody carriers, liposomal delivery systems, electroporation, direct injection, cell fusion, viral vectors, and calcium phosphate-mediated transformation. However, many of these techniques are limited by the types of cells in which transmembrane transport is enabled and by the conditions needed for achieving such transport. An alternative that is particularly attractive for the transmembrane delivery of oligonucleotides is modification of the physicochemical properties of oligonucleotides via conjugation to a molecule that facilitates transport. Another alternative is to increase the stability of oligonucleotides in serum, thereby increasing their concentration and distribution.

It has been previously reported that oligonucleotides modified with a 4-[(N-2-chloroethyl-N-methyl)amino]benzylamine reactive functionality at a 5′-phosphate position react with albumin and immunoglobulins M and G (Yu et al., FEBS Letters, 1994, 334:96-98). Binding to albumin was weak at about 20 μM with immunoglobulin binding stronger at about 4 to 6 μM. This study further reported that oligonucleotides conjugated to steroids had increased affinity for blood cells and thus changed their distribution and increased their lifetime in serum.

One method for increasing membrane or cellular transport of oligonucleotides is the attachment of a pendant lipophilic group. Ramirez et al. (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1982, 104:5483) introduced the phospholipid group 5′-O-(1,2-di-O-myristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoryl) into the dimer TpT independently at the 3′ and 5′ positions. Subsequently Shea et al. (Nuc. Acids Res., 1990, 18:3777) disclosed oligonucleotides having a 1,2-di-O-hexyldecyl-rac-glycerol group linked to a 5′-phosphate on the 5′-terminus of the oligonucleotide. Certain of the Shea et al. authors also disclosed these and other compounds in patent application PCT/US90/01002. A further glucosyl phospholipid was disclosed by Guerra et al., Tetrahedron Letters, 1987, 28:3581.

In other work, a cholesteryl group was attached to the internucleotide linkage between the first and second nucleotides (from the 3′ terminus) of an oligonucleotide. This work is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,013 and further in Letsinger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1989, 86:6553. Additional approaches to the delivery and study of oligonucleotides have involved the conjugation of a variety of other molecules and reporter groups. The aromatic intercalating agent anthraquinone was attached to the 2′ position of a sugar fragment of an oligonucleotide as reported by Yamana et al. (Bioconjugate Chem., 1990, 1:319), Lemairte et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1986, 84:648) and Leonetti et al. (Bioconjugate Chem., 1990, 1:149).

Lysine and polylysines have also been conjugated to oligonucleotides to improve their charge-size characteristics. The poly(L-lysine) was linked to the oligonucleotide via periodate oxidation of the 3′-terminal ribose followed by reduction and coupling through a N-morpholine ring. Oligonucleotide-poly(L-lysine) conjugates are described in European Patent application 87109348.0. In this instance, the lysine residue was coupled to a 5′ or 3′ phosphate of the 5′ or 3′ terminal nucleotide of the oligonucleotide. A disulfide linkage has also been utilized at the 3′ terminus of an oligonucleotide to link a peptide to the oligonucleotide. See, Corey and Schultz, Science, 1987, 238:1401; Zuckermann et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1988, 110:1614; and Corey et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1989, 111:8524.

A linking reagent for attaching biotin to the 3′-terminus of an oligonucleotide has also been described. Nelson et al., Nuc. Acids Res., 1989, 17:7187. This reagent, N-Fmoc-O-DMT-3-amino-1,2-propanediol is now commercially available from Clontech Laboratories (Palo Alto, Calif.) under the name 3′-Amine on. It is also commercially available under the name 3′-Amino-Modifier reagent from Glen Research Corporation (Sterling, Va.). This reagent was also utilized to link a peptide to an oligonucleotide as reported by Judy et al. (Tetrahedron Letters, 1991, 32:879). A similar commercial reagent (actually a series of such linkers having various lengths of polymethylene connectors) for linking to the 5′-terminus of an oligonucleotide is 5′-Amino-Modifier C6. These reagents are available from Glen Research Corporation (Sterling, Va.). These compounds or similar ones were utilized by Krieg et al. (Antisense Research and Development, 1991, 1:161) to link fluorescein to the 5′-terminus of an oligonucleotide. Other compounds of interest have also been linked to the 3′-terminus of an oligonucleotide. Asseline et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1984, 81:3297) describe linking acridine on the 3′-terminal phosphate group of an poly (Tp) oligonucleotide via a polymethylene linkage. Haralambidis et al. (Tetrahedron Letters, 1987, 28:5199) report building a peptide on a solid state support and then linking an oligonucleotide to that peptide via the 3′ hydroxyl group of the 3′ terminal nucleotide of the oligonucleotide. Chollet (Nucleosides & Nucleotides, 1990, 9:957) attached an Aminolink 2 (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) to the 5′ terminal phosphate of an oligonucleotide. The bifunctional linking group SMPB (Pierce Chemical Co., Rockford, Ill.) was then used to link an interleukin protein to the oligonucleotide.

Conjugation of lipids, reporters, peptides and other molecules to oligonucleotides is not limited to the terminal 3′ and 5′-positions. A wide variety of conjugates have also been reported in the literature wherein attachment is performed at any one or more of the 2′-positions on the nucleotide building blocks of the oligonucleotide. Further conjugates have also been reported wherein attachment occurs on the internucleotide linkage or on one of the atoms of the nucleobase of any one of the nucleotide units of the oligonucleotide. For example, an EDTA iron complex has been linked to the 5 position of a pyrimidine nucleoside as reported by Dreyer and Dervan (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1985, 82:968). Fluorescein has been linked to an oligonucleotide in the same manner as reported by Haralambidis et al. (Nucleic Acid Research, 1987, 15:4857) and biotin in the same manner as described in PCT application PCT/US/02198. Fluorescein, biotin and pyrene were also linked in the same manner as reported by Telser et al. (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1989, 111:6966). A commercial reagent, Amino-Modifier-dT, from Glen Research Corporation (Sterling, Va.) can be utilized to introduce pyrimidine nucleotides bearing similar linking groups into oligonucleotides.

Manoharan et al. (PCT Application WO 93/07883) have also reported the conjugation of oligonucleotides with a variety of molecules such as steroids, reporter molecules, reporter enzymes, vitamins, non-aromatic lipophilic molecules, chelators, porphyrins, intercalators, peptides and proteins through the intermediacy of varied linking groups, such as 6-aminoalkoxy and 6-aminoalkylamino groups. Conjugation has been reported at the 3′-, 5′-, 2′-, internucleotide linkage and nucleobase positions of oligonucleotides. Such oligonucleotide conjugates are expected to have improved physicochemical properties that facilitated their uptake and delivery into cells as demonstrated by in vitro experiments. The intracellular and intranuclear delivery of nucleic acids and oligonucleotides, however, is still a challenge. Most often, penetration of heretofore reported oligonucleotide conjugates has been found to be limited. This has typically been a problem because such conjugates have generally been designed to improve the passive absorption of the oligonucleotides where the size, physicochemical properties and extracellular concentration of the conjugate play important limiting roles. This coupled with the limited extracellular stability of nucleic acids and oligonucleotides demands the development of novel conjugates that will deliver higher levels of nucleic acids and oligonucleotides into specific tissues and targeted cells.

Albumin is the most abundant protein in mammalian systems, and plays an important role in the transport and deposition of drug substances in blood. It is generally accepted that there are two major specific drug binding sites, site I and site II on human albumin. X-ray studies of crystalline human albumin (He and Carter, Nature, 1992, 358:209-215) indicate that site I and site II are located within specialized cavities in subdomain IIA and IIIA, respectively.

Interaction of oligonucleotides with proteins play an important role in absorption, distribution and pharmacokinetics. In the bloodstream, the major oligonucleotide binding protiens are immunoglobulins M and G, serum albumin, and orosomucoid α-1-acid glycoprotein (AAG). The role of plasma protein binding is an important factor in oligonucleotide disposition and efficacy. If protein binding of oligonucleotides can be modulated with small molecular conjugation, it will result in more efficacious oligonucleotide drugs.

Albumin is a water-soluble protein with a molecular eight of 66,500 comprising a single chain of 585 amino acids containing a single tryptophan (Trp-214), low (2%) glycine content, high cystine content and a large number of charged amino acids (about 100 negative charges and 100 positive charges) and has an isoelectric point of about pH 5.0. Thus, at a plasma pH of 7.4, it has a net negative charge of −15. Nonetheless, it attracts both anions and cations. It circulates at a concentration of 3.5-5 g/100 mL in blood plasma and also exists at lower concentrations in extravascular fluids. About 60% of all human serum albumin (HSA) is located in the extravascular space (Peters, Adv. Protein Chemn., 1985, 37:161). As the most abundant protein in plasma, HSA plays an important role in the maintenance of blood pH and colloidal osmotic pressure and accounts for most of the thiol content of plasma (Cys-34). Binding of drugs to albumin is usually rapidly reversible. The binding (association) constants are typically in the range of 104 to 106 M−1. HSA is organized in a series of three repeating domains (I, II and III) each having two subdomains. Ligands bind to HSA generally to one or both of two binding sites. Site I is associated with the ligands warfarin, phenyl butazone. This site is localized in subdomain IIA. Site II is in subdomain IIIA and binds to diazepam and ibuprofen. Other ibuprofen analogs suprofen, pranoprofen, carprofen, fenbufen and ketoprofen, which are all non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents bind to site II. Flufenamic acid and dansylsarcosine bind to site II while dansylamide bind to site I. Barbiturates such as quinalbarbitone interact with site II and the antidiabetic tolbutamide binds to site I, site II and an unidentified site. (R)-Folinic acid binds to both sites. Other compounds that bind to HSA include thiadiazides, diazepines, and antibacterials (e.g., nalidixic acid).

Lipoproteins can contribute to the plasma binding of lipophilic drugs and dissolve in lipid core of the lipoproteins. Cholesterol conjugated oligonucleotides are known to bind to serum proteins. Agrawal et al., (“Effect of aspirin on protein binding and tissue disposition of oligonucleotide phosphorothioate in rats,” Journal of Drug Targeting, 1998, 5:303-313) describe the effect of co-administration of aspirin at a concentration of 2 mg/mL and demonstrate that the P═S oligonucleotide binding to serum albumin is reduced (as measured by % protein bound of P═S oligonucleotide). This result indicates that presence of aspirin in the body or similar small molecule drugs could effectively alter protein binding of P═S oligonucleotides in vivo.

Pharmacokinetic studies of P═S oligonucleotide (GEM-91, 25-mer phosphorothioate oligonucleotide) in rats were determined after bolus injection. One hour before administration of the drug, aspirin is administered by gavage. When P═S oligonucleotide was administered following aspirin administration in rats the following the plasma pharmacokinetic parameters (t½ α, t½ β, AUC, etc.) were lower. The tissue disposition was significantly different in that the majority of tissues. e.g. kidney, liver, spleen, bone marrow, skin, thyroid, adrenal, heart, lung, and pancreas, had lower concentrations, and gastrointestinal tissues and contents had a higher concentration. In certain tissues, e.g. liver and bone marrow, the concentration of P═S oligonucleotide which was administered following aspirin administration was about half of that observed following administration of P═S oligonucleotide alone. It was seen that the rate of elimination was affected in animals compared to rats receiving P═S oligonucleotide alone. A higher concentration of excreted oligonucleotide in feces from rats receiving P═S oligonucleotide following aspirin was observed compared to rats receiving P═S oligonucleotide alone. However, the effect of attaching small molecule drugs to the oligonucleotide to modulate serum albumin binding has not been studied.

Therefore, there is a clear need for oligonucleotide conjugates having improved distribution and cellular uptake and methods for their preparation, that address the shortcomings of oligonucleotide conjugates as described above. The present invention is directed to this very important end.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides ligand conjugated oligomeric compounds that are capable of interacting with a protein. In particular, the ligand conjugated oligomeric compounds of the present invention bind to proteins. More particularly, the present invention provides oligomeric compounds that are conjugated to drug moieties.

The oligomeric compounds of the present invention bind to serum, vascular and cellular proteins. It is preferred that the serum proteins include albumin, an immunoglobulin, a lipoprotein, α-2-macroglobulin and α-1-glycoprotein.

The present invention also provides ligand conjugated oligomeric compounds wherein the oligomeric compound is an oligonucleotide comprising a plurality of nucleosides. Also provided are oligonucleotides wherein the nucleosides are connected by phosphodiester linkages. Further, oligonucleotides wherein the nucleosides are connected by phosphorothioate linkages are also provided. It is preferred that at least one of the nucleosides of the oligonucleotides of the present invention bear a 2′-substituent group.

The present invention also provides methods for increasing the concentration of an oligonucleotide in serum comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a drug moiety that is known to bind to a serum protein;

(b) conjugating said drug moiety to said oligonucleotide to form a conjugated oligonucleotide; and

(c) adding said conjugated oligonucleotide to said serum.

The present invention further provides methods for increasing the capacity of serum for an oligonucleotide comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a drug moiety that is known to bind to a serum protein;

(b) conjugating said drug moiety to said oligonucleotide to form a conjugated oligonucleotide; and

(c) adding said conjugated oligonucleotide to said serum.

In one embodiment of the present invention the serum protein is a protein having a binding site for the drug moiety. In another embodiment the serum protein is a protein having a binding site for the oligonucleotide. In yet another embodiment the serum protein is a protein having a binding site for the oligonucleotide and a binding site for the drug moiety such that the binding site for the oligonucleotide is distinct from the binding site for the drug moiety.

The present invention further provides methods for increasing the binding of an oligonucleotide to a portion of the vascular system comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a drug moiety that is known to bind to a protein that resides, in part, in the circulating serum and, in part, in a non-circulating portion of the vascular system;

(b) conjugating said drug moiety to said oligonucleotide to form a conjugated oligonucleotide; and

(c) adding said conjugated oligonucleotide to said vascular system.

The present invention also provides methods for promoting cellular uptake of an oligonucleotide in a cell comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a protein that resides on the cellular membrane and extends, at least in part, on the external side of said membrane;

(b) selecting a drug moiety that is known to bind to said protein;

(c) conjugating said drug moiety to said oligonucleotide to form a conjugated oligonucleotide; and

(d) exposing said cell to said conjugated oligonucleotide.

Preferably, the protein residing on the cellular membrane is a cell surface integrin.

In one embodiment of the present invention the serum protein is albumin, an immunoglobulin, α-2-macroglobulin, α-1-glycoprotein or a lipoprotein. Preferably, the serum protein is albumin.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention the drug moiety is aspirin, warfarin, phenylbutazone, ibuprofen, suprofen, fenbufen, ketoprofen, (S)-(+)-pranoprofen, carprofen, dansylsarcosine, 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid, flufenamic acid, folinic acid, a benzothiadiazide, chlorothiazide, a diazepine, indomethicin, a barbiturate, a cephalosporin, a sulfa drug, an antidiabetic, an antibacterial or an antibiotic. Preferably, the drug moiety is aspirin, phenylbutazone, ibuprofen, suprofen, fenbufen, ketoprofen, (S)-(+)-pranoprofen, palmityl or carprofen. More preferably, the drug moiety is ibuprofen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graph showing a comparison of HSA binding (Sigma A3782 lot 94H9318) for ibuprofen conjugates (diamonds) to unconjugated controls (triangles). Binding curve for the phosphorothioate DNA analogs of each sequence are also shown (circles). Oligonucleotide (50 nM) was incubated with increasing concentrations of HSA as described in the text.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing a comparison of the capacity of HSA (Sigma A3782 lot 97H7604) for an ibuprofen conjugate (diamonds) compared to that of an unconjugated phosphorothioate DNA (triangles). Capacity was measured at 50 mM HSA with increasing concentrations of oligonucleotide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides methods of improving the pharmacokinetic properties of oligonucleotides. The invention further provides ligand conjugated oligomeric compounds having improved pharmacokinetic properties and methods for their preparation. Such oligomeric compounds are prepared having covalently attached ligands that bind reversibly to one or more serum, vascular or cellular proteins. This reversible binding is expected to decrease urinary excretion, increase serum half life and greatly increase the distribution of oligomeric compounds thus conjugated. The binding of particular drugs to plasma protein has been previously shown to enhance the disposition and efficacy of drugs (Herve et al., Clin. Pharmacokinet., 1994, 26:44).

The therapeutic effect of an antisense oligonucleotide is realized when it interacts with a specific cellular nucleic acid and effectively negates its function. A preferred target is mRNA encoding a protein that is responsible for a disease state. To reach a target nucleic acid after administration, an antisense agent should be able to overcome inherent factors such as rapid degradation in serum, short half life in serum and rapid filtration by the kidneys with subsequent excretion in the urine. Oligonucleotides that overcome these inherent factors have increased serum half lives, distribution, cellular uptake and hence improved efficacy. These enhanced pharmacokinetic parameters have been shown for selected drug molecules that bind plasma proteins (Olson and Christ, Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry, 1996, 31:327). Two proteins that have been studied more than most are human serum albumin (HSA) and α-1-acid glycoprotein. HSA binds a variety of endogenous and exogenous ligands with association constants typically in the range of 104 to 106 M−1. Association constants for ligands with α-1-acid glycoprotein are similar to those for HSA.

At least for therapeutic purposes, antisense oligonucleotides should have a degree of stability in serum to allow distribution and cellular uptake. The prolonged maintenance of therapeutic levels of antisense agents in serum will have a significant effect on the distribution and cellular uptake and unlike conjugate groups that target specific cell receptors the increased serum stability will effect all cells. Numerous efforts have focused on increasing the cellular uptake of oligonucleotides including increasing the membrane permeability via conjugates and cellular delivery of oligonucleotides.

Many drugs reversibly bind to plasma proteins. A representative list, which is not meant to be inclusive, includes: aspirin, warfarin, phenylbutazone, ibuprofen, suprofen, fenbufen, ketoprofen, (S)-(+)-pranoprofen, carprofen, dansylsarcosine, 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid, flufenamic acid, folinic acid, benzothiadiazides, chlorothiazide, diazepines (such as for example fludiazepam and diazepam) indomethicin, barbiturates (such as for example quinalbarbitone), cephalosporins, sulfa drugs, antidiabetics (such as for example tollbutamide), antibacterials (such as for example a group of quinolones; nalidixic acid and cinoxacin) and several antibiotics. Serum albumin is the most important protein among all plasma proteins for drug binding, although binding to other proteins (for example, macroglobulin G2, immunoglobulins, lipoproteins, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, thrombin) is also important.

Ligands that bind serum, vascular or cellular proteins may be attached via an optional linking moiety to one or more sites on an oligonucleotide of the invention. These sites include one or more of, but are not limited to, the 2′-position, 3′-position, 5′-position, the internucleotide linkage, and a nucleobase atom of any nucleotide residue. The attachment of ligands to such structures can be performed, according to some preferred embodiments of the invention, using a linking group, or without the use of such a linking group.

In some preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more protein binding ligands are attached to an oligonucleotide via linking groups, to form a ligand conjugated oligonucleotide. Preferred linking groups of the invention include, but are not limited to, 6-aminoalkoxy linkers, 6-aminoalkylamino linkers, cysteamine, heterobifunctional linkers, homobifunctional linkers, and a universal linker (derived from 3-dimethoxytrityloxy-2-aminopropanol). A particularly preferred linking group for the synthesis of ligand conjugated oligonucleotides of the invention is a 6-aminohexyloxy group. A variety of heterobifunctional and homobifunctional linking moieties are available from Pierce Co. (Rockford, Ill.). Such heterobifunctional and homobifunctional linking moieties are particularly useful in conjunction with the 6-aminoalkoxy and 6-aminoalkylamino moieties to form extended linkers useful for linking ligands to a nucleoside. Further useful linking groups that are commercially available are 5′-Amino-Modifier C6 and 3′-Amino-Modifier reagents, both available from Glen Research Corporation (Sterling, Va.). 5′-Amino-Modifier C6 is also available from ABI (Applied Biosystems Inc., Foster City, Calif.) as Aminolink-2, while the 3′-Amino-Modifier is also available from Clontech Laboratories Inc. (Palo Alto, Calif.). In addition, a nucleotide analog bearing a linking group pre-attached to the nucleoside is commercially available from Glen Research Corporation under the tradename “Amino-Modifier-dT.” This nucleoside-linking group reagent, a uridine derivative having an [N(7-trifluoroacetylamino-heptyl)3-acrylamido] substituent group at the 5 position of the pyrimidine ring, is synthesized as per the procedure of Jablonski et al. (Nucleic Acid Research, 1986, 14:6115). The present invention also includes as nucleoside analogs adenine nucleosides functionalized to include a linker on the N6 purine amino group, guanine nucleosides functionalized to include a linker at the exocyclic N2 purine amino group, and cytosine nucleosides functionalized to include a linker on either the N4 pyrimidine amino group or the 5 pyrimidine position. Such nucleoside analogs are incorporated into oligonucleotides with a ligand attached to the linker either pre- or post-oligomerization.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention ligand molecules are selected for conjugation to oligonucleotides on the basis of their affinity for one or more proteins. These proteins may be serum, vascular or cellular proteins. Serum proteins are proteins that are present in the fluid portion of the blood, obtained after coagulation and removal of the fibrin clot and blood cells, as distinguished from the plasma in circulating blood. Vascular proteins are proteins that are present in portions of the vascular system relating to or containing blood vessels. Cellular proteins are membrane proteins which have at least a portion of the protein extending extracellularly and assisting in the process of endocytosis.

In one embodiment of the present invention the drug moiety bears a carboxylic acid group. In another embodiment of the present invention the drug moiety is a propionic acid derivative.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention the protein targeted by a ligand conjugated oligomeric compound is a serum protein. It is preferred that the serum protein targeted by a conjugated oligomeric compound is an immunoglobulin (an antibody). Preferred immunoglobulins are immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M. Immunoglobulins are known to appear in blood serum and tissues of vertebrate animals.

In another embodiment of the invention the serum protein targeted by a conjugated oligomeric compound is a lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are blood proteins having molecular weights generally above 20,000 that carry lipids and are recognized by specific cell surface receptors. The association with lipoproteins in the serum will initially increase pharmacokinetic parameters such as half life and distribution. A secondary consideration is the ability of lipoproteins to enhance cellular uptake via receptor-mediated endocytosis.

In yet another embodiment the serum protein targeted by a ligand conjugated oligomeric compound is α-2-macroglobulin. In yet a further embodiment the serum protein targeted by a ligand conjugated oligomeric compound is α-1-glycoprotein.

As used herein, the term “protected” means that the indicated moiety has a protecting group appended thereon. In some preferred embodiments of the invention compounds contain one or more protecting groups. A wide variety of protecting groups can be employed in the methods of the invention. In general, protecting groups render chemical functionalities inert to specific reaction conditions, and can be appended to and removed from such functionalities in a molecule without substantially damaging the remainder of the molecule.

Representative hydroxyl protecting groups, for example, are disclosed by Beaucage et al. (Tetrahedron, 1992, 48:2223-2311). Further hydroxyl protecting groups, as well as other representative protecting groups, are disclosed in Greene and Wuts, Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, Chapter 2, 2d ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1991, and Oligonucleotides And Analogues A Practical Approach, Ekstein, F. Ed., IRL Press, N.Y, 1991, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Additional amino-protecting groups include, but are not limited to, carbamate-protecting groups, such as 2-trimethylsilylethoxycarbonyl (Teoc), 1-methyl-1-(4-biphenylyl)ethoxycarbonyl (Bpoc), t-butoxycarbonyl (BOC), allyloxycarbonyl (Alloc), 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc), and benzyloxycarbonyl (Cbz); amide-protecting groups, such as formyl, acetyl, trihaloacetyl, benzoyl, and nitrophenylacetyl; sulfonamide-protecting groups, such as 2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl; and imine- and cyclic imide-protecting groups, such as phthalimido and dithiasuccinoyl. Equivalents of these amino-protecting groups are also encompassed by the compounds and methods of the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention oligonucleotides are provided including a number of linked nucleosides wherein at least one of the nucleosides is a 2′-functionalized nucleoside having a ligand molecule linked to the 2′-position of the nucleoside; a heterocyclic base functionalized nucleoside having a ligand molecule linked to the heterocyclic base of the nucleoside, a 5′ terminal nucleoside having a ligand molecule linked to the 5′-position of the nucleoside, a 3′ terminal nucleoside having a ligand molecule linked to the 3′-position of the nucleoside, or an inter-strand nucleoside having a ligand molecule linked to an inter-stand linkage linking said inter-strand nucleoside to an adjacent nucleoside.

Ligand conjugated oligonucleotides of the invention may be synthesized by the use of an oligonucleotide that bears a pendant reactive functionality such as that derived from the attachment of a linking molecule onto the oligonucleotide. This reactive oligonucleotide may be reacted directly with commercially available ligands, ligands that are synthesized bearing a variety of protecting groups, or ligands that have a linking moiety attached thereto. The methods of the present invention facilitate the synthesis of ligand conjugated oligonucleotides by the use of, in some preferred embodiments, nucleoside monomers that have been appropriately conjugated with ligands and that may further be attached to a solid support material. Such ligand-nucleoside conjugates optionally attached to a solid support material are prepared according to some preferred embodiments of the methods of the present invention via reaction of a selected serum binding ligand with a linking moiety located on a 2′, 3′, or 5′ position of a nucleoside or oligonucleotide.

The present invention provides methods for increasing the concentration of an oligonucleotide in serum. According to such methods, a drug moiety that is known to bind to a serum protein is selected and conjugated to an oligonucleotide, thus forming a conjugated oligonucleotide. This conjugated oligonucleotide is then added to the serum.

The present invention further provides methods for increasing the capacity of serum for an oligonucleotide. According to such methods, a drug moiety that is known to bind to a serum protein is selected and conjugated to an oligonucleotide, thus forming a conjugated oligonucleotide. This conjugated oligonucleotide is then added to the serum.

The present invention also provides methods for increasing the binding of an oligonucleotide to a portion of the vascular system. According to such methods, a drug moiety that is known to bind to a vascular protein is selected. The vascular protein selected is a protein which resides, in part, in the circulating serum and, in part, in the non-circulating portion of the vascular system. This drug moiety is conjugated to an oligonucleotide to form a conjugated oligonucleotide, which is then added to the vascular system.

The present invention further provides methods for promoting the cellular uptake of an oligonucleotide in a cell. According to such methods, a cellular protein is selected. This cellular protein is a protein that resides on the cellular membrane and extends, in part, extracellularly so that part of this cellular protein extends onto the external side of the cellular membrane. Next, a drug moiety that is known to bind to the cellular protein is selected and conjugated to an oligonucleotide to form a conjugated oligonucleotide. This conjugated oligonucleotide is then brought into contact with cells in which cellular uptake of the oligonucleotide is to be promoted.

The present invention also provides methods of increasing cellular uptake of an oligonucleotide comprising contacting an organism with an oligonucleotide of the invention, said oligonucleotide being conjugated to a ligand.

Ligand conjugated oligomeric compounds of the present invention can be included in compositions that further include one or more inert carrier compounds.

Antisense therapeutics can be practiced in a plethora of various organisms ranging from unicellular prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms to multicellular eukaryotic organisms. Any organism that utilizes DNA-RNA transcription or RNA-protein translation as a fundamental part of its hereditary, metabolic or cellular control is susceptible to antisense therapeutics and/or prophylactics. Seemingly diverse organisms such as bacteria, yeast, protozoa, algae, all plant and all higher animal forms, including warm-blooded animals, can be treated by antisense therapy. Further, since each of the cells of multicellular eukaryotes also includes both DNA-RNA transcription and RNA-protein translation as an integral part of its cellular activity, antisense therapeutics and/or diagnostics can also be practiced on such cellular populations. Furthermore, many of the organelles, e.g. mitochondria and chloroplasts, of eukaryotic cells also include transcription and translation mechanisms. As such, single cells, cellular populations or organelles can also be included within the definition of organisms that are capable of being treated with antisense therapeutics or diagnostics. As used herein, therapeutics is meant to include both the eradication of a disease state, killing of an organism, e.g. bacterial, protozoan or other infection, or control of erratic or harmful cellular growth or expression.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a ligand having an affinity for a serum protein is attached to at least one nucleoside in an antisense diagnostic or therapeutic agent to enhance the pharmacokinetic properties of the antisense therapeutic or diagnostic agent. Such improved pharmacokinetic properties include, but are not limited to, increased binding of the antisense compound to serum proteins, increased plasma concentration of the antisense compound, increased tissue distribution, increased capacity of binding of the antisense compound to serum proteins and increased half-lives. Such an antisense diagnostic or therapeutic agent is preferably a nucleic acid or oligonucleotide formed of a plurality of linked nucleosides of a sequence that are “antisense” to a region of an RNA or DNA of interest. The nucleosides are linked by phosphorus-containing or non-phosphorus-containing covalent internucleoside linkages. One or more nucleosides of the oligonucleotide are conjugated to include a ligand molecule bound to the nucleoside with or without a linking group. For the purposes of identification, such conjugated nucleosides can be characterized as ligand bearing nucleosides or ligand-nucleoside conjugates. The linked nucleosides having at least one conjugated nucleoside within their sequence will demonstrate enhanced antisense activity when compared to like linked nucleoside or oligonucleotides of the same sequence that are not conjugated.

The ligand conjugated oligonucleotides of the present invention also include conjugates of oligonucleotides and linked nucleosides wherein the ligand is attached directly onto the nucleoside or nucleotide without the intermediacy of a linker group. This attachment of ligand may be performed at either one or more of the 2′-, 3′-, 5′-, nucleobase or internucleoside linkage positions of the oligonucleotide or linked nucleosides of the invention. Ligands may preferably be attached, via linking groups, at a carboxyl, amino or oxo groups of the ligand. Typical linking groups may be ester, amide or carbamate groups.

As used herein the term “oligomeric compound” includes oligonucleotides, oligonucleosides, modified oligonucleotides, oligonucleotide analogs and oligonucleotide mimetics. The oligomeric compounds of the presnent invention preferably comprise from about 5 to about 50 linked monomeric subunits. It is more preferred that such oligomeric compounds comprise from about 8 to about 30 linked monomeric subunits, with 15 to 25 linked monomeric subunits being particularly preferred. Preferred monomeric subunits are nucleotides, nucleosides, modified nucleotides, modified nucleosides, or peptide nucleic acid monomers.

The present invention employs oligonucleotides for use in antisense modulation of the function of DNA or messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding a protein the modulation of which is desired, and ultimately to regulate the amount of such a protein. Hybridization of an antisense oligonucleotide with its mRNA target interferes with the normal role of mRNA and causes a modulation of its function in cells. The functions of mRNA to be interfered with include all vital functions such as translocation of the RNA to the site for protein translation, actual translation of protein from the RNA, splicing of the RNA to yield one or more mRNA species, turnover or degradation of the mRNA and possibly even independent catalytic activity which may be engaged in by the RNA. The overall effect of such interference with mRNA function is modulation of the expression of a protein, wherein “modulation” means either an increase (stimulation) or a decrease (inhibition) in the expression of the protein. In the context of the present invention, inhibition is the preferred form of modulation of gene expression.

In the context of this invention, the term “oligonucleotide” refers to an oligomer or polymer of ribonucleic acid or deoxyribonucleic acid. This term includes oligonucleotides composed of naturally-occurring nucleobases, sugars and covalent intersugar (backbone) linkages as well as modified oligonucleotides having non-naturally-occurring portions which function similarly. Such modified or substituted oligonucleotides are often preferred over native forms because of desirable properties such as, for example, enhanced cellular uptake, enhanced binding to target and increased stability in the presence of nucleases. The oligonucleotides of the present invention preferably comprise from about 5 to about 50 nucleosides. It is more preferred that such oligonucleotides comprise from about 8 to about 30 nucleosides, with 15 to 25 nucleosides being particularly preferred.

An oligonucleotide is a polymer of repeating units generically known as nucleotides or nucleosides. An unmodified (naturally occurring) nucleotide has three components: (1) a nitrogenous base linked by one of its nitrogen atoms to (2) a 5-carbon cyclic sugar and (3) a phosphate, esterified to carbon 5 of the sugar. When incorporated into an oligonucleotide chain, the phosphate of a first nucleotide is also esterified to carbon 3 of the sugar of a second, adjacent nucleotide. The “backbone” of an unmodified oligonucleotide consists of (2) and (3), that is, sugars linked together by phosphodiester linkages between the CS (5′) position of the sugar of a first nucleotide and the C3 (3′) position of a second, adjacent nucleotide. A “nucleoside” is the combination of (1) a nucleobase and (2) a sugar in the absence of a phosphate moiety (Kornberg, DNA Replication, W. H. Freeman & Co., San Francisco, 1980, pages 4-7). The backbone of an oligonucleotide positions a series of bases in a specific order; the written representation of this series of bases, which is conventionally written in 5′ to 3′ order, is known as a nucleotide sequence.

Oligonucleotides may comprise nucleoside or nucleotide sequences sufficient in identity and number to effect specific hybridization with a particular nucleic acid. Such oligonucleotides which specifically hybridize to a portion of the sense strand of a gene are commonly described as “antisense.” In the context of the invention, “hybridization” means hydrogen bonding, which may be Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen or reversed Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding, between complementary nucleosides or nucleotides. For example, adenine and thymine are complementary nucleobases which pair through the formation of hydrogen bonds. “Complementary,” as used herein, refers to the capacity for precise pairing between two nucleotides. For example, if a nucleotide at a certain position of an oligonucleotide is capable of hydrogen bonding with a nucleotide at the same position of a DNA or RNA molecule, then the oligonucleotide and the DNA or RNA are considered to be complementary to each other at that position. The oligonucleotide and the DNA or RNA are complementary to each other when a sufficient number of corresponding positions in each molecule are occupied by nucleotides which can hydrogen bond with each other. Thus, “specifically hybridizable” and “complementary” are terms which are used to indicate a sufficient degree of complementarity or precise pairing such that stable and specific binding occurs between the oligonucleotide and the DNA or RNA target. It is understood in the art that an oligonucleotide need not be 100% complementary to its target DNA sequence to be specifically hybridizable. An oligonucleotide is specifically hybridizable when binding of the oligonucleotide to the target DNA or RNA molecule interferes with the normal function of the target DNA or RNA to cause a decrease or loss of function, and there is a sufficient degree of complementarity to avoid non-specific binding of the oligonucleotide to non-target sequences under conditions in which specific binding is desired, i.e., under physiological conditions in the case of in vivo assays or therapeutic treatment, or in the case of in vitro assays, under conditions in which the assays are performed.

Antisense oligonucleotides are commonly used as research reagents, diagnostic aids, and therapeutic agents. For example, antisense oligonucleotides, which are able to inhibit gene expression with exquisite specificity, are often used by those of ordinary skill to elucidate the function of particular genes, for example to distinguish between the functions of various members of a biological pathway. This specific inhibitory effect has, therefore, been harnessed by those skilled in the art for research uses. Antisense oligonucleotides have also been used as diagnostic aids based on their specific binding or hybridization to DNA or mRNA that are present in certain disease states and due to the high degree of sensitivity that hybridization based assays and amplified assays that utilize some of polymerase chain reaction afford. The specificity and sensitivity of oligonucleotides is also harnessed by those of skill in the art for therapeutic uses. For example, the following U.S. patents demonstrate palliative, therapeutic and other methods utilizing antisense oligonucleotides. U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,917 provides antisense oligonucleotides that inhibit human interleukin-1 receptor expression. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,890 is directed to antisense oligonucleotides complementary to the c-myb oncogene and antisense oligonucleotide therapies for certain cancerous conditions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,617 provides methods for treating Cancer patients with antisense oligonucleotides. U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,195 provides oligonucleotide inhibitors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,810 provides oligomers capable of hybridizing to herpes simplex virus Vmw65 mRNA and inhibiting replication. U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,428 provides antisense oligonucleotides having antiviral activity against influenza virus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,463 provides antisense oligonucleotides and methods using them to inhibit HTLV-III replication. U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,717 provides oligonucleotides having a complementary base sequence to a portion of an oncogene. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,276,019 and 5,264,423 are directed to phosphorothioate oligonucleotide analogs used to prevent replication of foreign nucleic acids in cells. U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,320 is directed to antisense oligonucleotides as antiviral agents specific to cytomegalovirus (CMV). U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,890 provides oligonucleotides complementary to at least a portion of the mRNA transcript of the human c-myb gene. U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,906 provides antisense oligonucleotides useful in the treatment of latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections. Other examples of antisense oligonucleotides are provided herein.

Specific examples of some preferred modified oligonucleotides envisioned for use in the ligand conjugated oligonucleotides of the present invention include oligonucleotides containing modified backbones or non-natural internucleoside linkages. As defined in this specification, oligonucleotides having modified backbones or internucleoside linkages include those that retain a phosphorus atom in the backbone and those that do not have a phosphorus atom in the backbone. For the purposes of this specification, and as sometimes referenced in the art, modified oligonucleotides that do not have a phosphorus atom in their intersugar backbone can also be considered to be oligonucleosides.

Specific oligonucleotide chemical modifications are described below. It is not necessary for all positions in a given compound to be uniformly modified, and in fact more than one of the following modifications may be incorporated in a single antisense compound or even in a single residue thereof, for example, at a single nucleoside within an oligonucleotide.

Preferred modified internucleoside linkages or backbones include, for example, phosphorothioates, chiral phosphorothioates, phosphorodithioates, phosphotriesters, aminoalkylphosphotriesters, methyl and other alkyl phosphonates including 3′-alkylene phosphonates and chiral phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphoramidates including 3′-amino phosphoramidate and aminoalkylphosphoramidates, thionophosphoramidates, thionoalkylphosphonates, thionoalklyphosphotriesters, and boranophosphates having normal 3′-5′ linkages, 2′-5′ linked analogs of these, and those having inverted polarity wherein the adjacent pairs of nucleoside units are linked 3′-5′ to 5′-3′ or 2′-5′ to 5′-2′. Various salts, mixed salts and free acid forms are also included.

Representative United States Patents that teach the preparation of the above phosphorus atom containing linkages include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,687,808; 4,469,863; 4,476,301; 5,023,243; 5,177,196; 5,188,897; 5,264,423; 5,276,019; 5,278,302; 5,286,717; 5,321,131; 5,399,676; 5,405,939; 5,453,496; 5,455,233; 5,466,677; 5,476,925; 5,519,126; 5,536,821; 5,541,306; 5,550,111; 5,563,253; 5,571,799; 5,587,361; 5,625,050; and 5,697,248, certain of which are commonly owned with this application, and each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

Preferred modified internucleoside linkages or backbones that do not include a phosphorus atom therein (i.e., oligonucleosides) have backbones that are formed by short chain alkyl or cycloalkyl intersugar linkages, mixed heteroatom and alkyl or cycloalkyl intersugar linkages, or one or more short chain heteroatomic or heterocyclic intersugar linkages. These include those having morpholino linkages (formed in part from the sugar portion of a nucleoside); siloxane backbones; sulfide, sulfoxide and sulfone backbones; formacetyl and thioformacetyl backbones; methylene formacetyl and thioformacetyl backbones; alkene containing backbones; sulfamate backbones; methyleneimino and methylenehydrazino backbones; sulfonate and sulfonamide backbones; amide backbones; and others having mixed N, O, S and CH2 component parts.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of the above oligonucleosides include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,034,506; 5,166,315; 5,185,444; 5,214,134; 5,216,141; 5,235,033; 5,264,562; 5,264,564; 5,405,938; 5,434,257; 5,466,677; 5,470,967; 5,489,677; 5,541,307; 5,561,225; 5,596,086; 5,602,240; 5,610,289; 5,602,240; 5,608,046; 5,610,289; 5,618,704; 5,623,070; 5,663,312; 5,633,360; 5,677,437; and 5,677,439, certain of which are commonly owned with this application, and each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

In other preferred oligonucleotide mimetics, both the sugar and the internucleoside linkage, i.e., the backbone, of the nucleoside units are replaced with novel groups. The nucleobase units are maintained for hybridization with an appropriate nucleic acid target compound. One such oligonucleotide, an oligonucleotide mimetic, that has been shown to have excellent hybridization properties, is referred to as a peptide nucleic acid (PNA). In PNA compounds, the sugar-backbone of an oligonucleotide is replaced with an amide containing backbone, in particular an aminoethylglycine backbone. The nucleobases are retained and are bound directly or indirectly to aza nitrogen atoms of the amide portion of the backbone. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of PNA compounds include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,539,082; 5,714,331; and 5,719,262, each of which is herein incorporated by reference. Further teaching of PNA compounds can be found in Nielsen et al., Science, 1991, 254, 1497.

Some preferred embodiments of the present invention may employ oligonucleotides with phosphorothioate linkages and oligonucleosides with heteroatom backbones, and in particular —CH2—NH—O—CH2—, —CH2—N(CH3)—O—CH2— [known as a methylene (methylimino) or MMI backbone], —CH2—O—N(CH3)—CH2—, —CH2—N(CH3)—N(CH3)—CH2— and —O—N(CH3)—CH2—CH2— [wherein the native phosphodiester backbone is represented as —O—P—O—CH2—] of the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,677, and the amide backbones of the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,240. Also preferred are oligonucleotides having morpholino backbone structures of the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,506.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of certain of the above noted modified nucleobases as well as other modified nucleobases include, but are not limited to, the above noted U.S. Pat. No. 687,808, as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,845,205; 5,130,302; 5,134,066; 5,175,273; 5,367,066; 5,432,272; 5,457,187; 5,459,255; 5,484,908; 5,502,177; 5,525,711; 5,552,540; 5,587,469; 5,594,121, 5,596,091; 5,614,617; and 5,681,941, certain of which are commonly owned, and each of which is herein incorporated by reference, and commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser No. 08/762,587, filed on Dec. 10, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,027, also herein incorporated by reference.

The oligonucleotides employed in the ligand conjugated oligonucleotides of the present invention may additionally or alternatively comprise one or more substituted sugar moieties. Preferred oligonucleotides comprise one of the following at the 2′ position: OH; F; O-, S-, or N-alkyl, O-, S-, or N-alkenyl, or O, S- or N-alkynyl, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl may be substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C10 alkyl or C2 to C10 alkenyl and alkynyl. Particularly preferred are O[(CH2)nO]mCH3, O(CH2)nOCH3, O(CH2)nNH2, O(CH2)nCH3, O(CH2)nONH2, and O(CH2)nON[(CH2)nCH3)]2, where n and m are from 1 to about 10. Other preferred oligonucleotides comprise one of the following at the 2′ position: C1 to C10 lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, alkaryl, aralkyl, O-alkaryl or O-aralkyl, SH, SCH3, OCN, Cl, Br, CN, CF3, OCF3, SOCH3, SO2CH3, ONO2, NO2, N3, NH2, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkaryl, aminoalkylamino, polyalkylamino, substituted silyl, an RNA cleaving group, a reporter group, an intercalator, a group for improving the pharmacokinetic properties of an oligonucleotide, or a group for improving the pharmacodynamic properties of an oligonucleotide, and other substituents having similar properties. a preferred modification includes 2′-methoxyethoxy [2′-O—CH2CH2OCH3, also known as 2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl) or 2′-MOE] (Martin et al., Helv. Chim. Acta, 1995, 78, 486), i.e., an alkoxyalkoxy group. a further preferred modification includes 2′-dimethylaminooxyethoxy, i.e., a O(CH2)2ON(CH3)2 group, also known as 2′-DMAOE, as described in co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/016,520, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,533, filed on Jan. 30, 1998, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

Other preferred modifications include 2′-methoxy (2′-O—CH3), 2′-aminopropoxy (2′-OCH2CH2CH2NH2) and 2′-fluoro (2′-F). Similar modifications may also be made at other positions on the oligonucleotide, particularly the 3′ position of the sugar on the 3′ terminal nucleotide or in 2′-5′ linked oligonucleotides and the 5′ position of 5′ terminal nucleotide.

As used herein, the term “sugar substituent group” or “2′-substituent group” includes groups attached to the 2′-position of the ribofuranosyl moiety with or without an oxygen atom. Sugar substituent groups amenable to the present invention include, but are not limited to, fluoro, O-alkyl, O-alkylamino, O-alkylalkoxy, protected O-alkylamino, O-alkylaminoalkyl, O-alkyl imidazole and polyethers of the formula (O-alkyl)m, wherein m is 1 to about 10. Preferred among these polyethers are linear and cyclic polyethylene glycols (PEGs), and (PEG)-containing groups, such as crown ethers and those which are disclosed by Ouchi et al. (Drug Design and Discovery 1992, 9:93); Ravasio et al. (J. Org. Chem. 1991, 56:4329); and Delgardo et. al. (Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems 1992, 9:249), each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further sugar modifications are disclosed by Cook (Anti-Cancer Drug Design, 1991, 6:585-607). Fluoro, O-alkyl, O-alkylamino, O-alkyl imidazole, O-alkylaminoalkyl, and alkyl amino substitution is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/398,901, filed Mar. 6, 1995, entitled “Oligomeric Compounds having Pyrimidine Nucleotide(s) with 2′ and 5′ Substitutions,” hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Sugars having O-substitutions on the ribosyl ring are also amenable to the present invention. Representative substitutions for ring O include, but are not limited to, S, CH2, CHF, and CF2. See, e.g., Secrist et al., Abstract 21, Program & Abstracts, Tenth International Roundtable, Nucleosides, Nucleotides and their Biological Applications, Park City, Utah, Sep. 16-20, 1992, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Oligonucleotides may also have sugar mimetics such as cyclobutyl moieties in place of the pentofuranosyl sugar. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of such modified sugars structures include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,981,957; 5,118,800; 5,319,080; 5,359,044; 5,393,878; 5,446,137; 5,466,786; 5,514,785; 5,519,134; 5,567,811; 5,576,427; 5,591,722; 5,597,909; 5,610,300; 5,627,0531 5,639,873; 5,646,265; 5,658,873; 5,670,633; and 5,700,920, certain of which are commonly owned, and each of which is herein incorporated by reference, and commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/468,037, filed on Jun. 6, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,221, also herein incorporated by reference.

The present invention also includes compositions employing antisense compounds which are chimeric compounds. “Chimeric” antisense compounds or “chimeras,” in the context of this invention, are antisense compounds, particularly oligonucleotides, which contain two or more chemically distinct regions, each made up of at least one monomer unit, i.e., a nucleotide in the case of an oligonucleotide compound. These oligonucleotides typically contain at least one region wherein the oligonucleotide is modified so as to confer upon the oligonucleotide increased resistance to nuclease degradation, increased cellular uptake, and/or increased binding affinity for the target nucleic acid. An additional region of the oligonucleotide may serve as a substrate for enzymes capable of cleaving RNA:DNA or RNA:RNA hybrids. By way of example, RNase H is a cellular endonuclease which cleaves the RNA strand of an RNA:DNA duplex. Activation of RNase H, therefore, results in cleavage of the RNA target, thereby greatly enhancing the efficiency of oligonucleotide inhibition of gene expression. Consequently, comparable results can often be obtained with shorter oligonucleotides when chimeric oligonucleotides are used, compared to phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides hybridizing to the same target region. Cleavage of the RNA target can be routinely detected by gel electrophoresis and, if necessary, associated nucleic acid hybridization techniques known in the art. RNase H-mediated target cleavage is distinct from the use of ribozymes to cleave nucleic acids, and ribozymes are not comprehended by the present invention.

By way of example, such “chimeras” may be “gapmers,” i.e., oligonucleotides in which a central portion (the “gap”) of the oligonucleotide serves as a substrate for, e.g., RNase H, and the 5′ and 3′ portions (the “wings”) are modified in such a fashion so as to have greater affinity for, or stability when duplexed with, the target RNA molecule but are unable to support nuclease activity (e.g., 25 2′-fluoro- or 2′-methoxyethoxy-substituted). Other chimeras include “hemimers,” that is, oligonucleotides in which the 5′ portion of the oligonucleotide serves as a substrate for, e.g., RNase H, whereas the 3′ portion is modified in such a fashion so as to have greater affinity for, or stability when duplexed with, the target RNA molecule but is unable to support nuclease activity (e.g., 2′-fluoro- or 2′-methoxyethoxy-substituted), or vice-versa.

A number of chemical modifications to oligonucleotides that confer greater oligonucleotide:RNA duplex stability have been described by Freier et al. (Nucl. Acids Res., 1997, 25, 4429). Such modifications are preferred for the RNase H-refractory portions of chimeric oligonucleotides and may generally be used to enhance the affinity of an antisense compound for a target RNA.

Chimeric antisense compounds of the invention may be formed as composite structures of two or more oligonucleotides, modified oligonucleotides, oligbnucleosides and/or oligonucleotide mimetics as described above. Such compounds have also been referred to in the art as hybrids or gapmers. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of such hybrid structures include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,013,830; 5,149,797; 5,220,007; 5,256,775; 5,366,878; 5,403,711; 5,491,133; 5,565,350; 5,623,065; 5,652,355; 5,652,356; and 5,700,922, certain of which are commonly owned, and each of which is herein incorporated by reference, and commonly owned and allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/465,880, filed on Jun. 6, 1995, now U.S. Pat No. 5,955,589, also herein incorporated by reference.

The present invention also includes compositions employing oligonucleotides that are substantially chirally pure with regard to particular positions within the oligonucleotides. Examples of substantially chirally pure oligonucleotides include, but are not limited to, those having phosphorothioate linkages that are at least 75% Sp or Rp (Cook et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,361) and those having substantially chirally pure (Sp or Rp) alkylphosphonate, phosphoramidate or phosphotriester linkages (Cook, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,212,295 and 5,521,302).

The present invention further encompasses ligand conjugated oligonucleotides employing ribozymes. Synthetic RNA molecules and derivatives thereof that catalyze highly specific endoribonuclease activities are known as ribozymes. (See, generally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,508 to Haseloff et al., issued Aug. 6, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,729 to Goodchild et al., issued Aug. 13, 1996.) The cleavage reactions are catalyzed by the RNA molecules themselves. In naturally occurring RNA molecules, the sites of self-catalyzed cleavage are located within highly conserved regions of RNA secondary structure (Buzayan et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 1986, 83, 8859; Forster et al., Cell, 1987, 50, 9). Naturally occurring autocatalytic RNA molecules have been modified to generate ribozymes which can be targeted to a particular cellular or pathogenic RNA molecule with a high degree of specificity. Thus, ribozymes serve the same general purpose as antisense oligonucleotides (i.e., modulation of expression of a specific gene) and, like oligonucleotides, are nucleic acids possessing significant portions of single-strandedness. That is, ribozymes have substantial chemical and functional identity with oligonucleotides and are thus considered to be equivalents for purposes of the present invention.

The oligonucleotides used in the conjugates of the present invention may be conveniently and routinely made through the well-known technique of solid phase synthesis. Equipment for such synthesis is sold by several vendors including, for example, Applied Biosystems (Foster City, Calif.). Any other means for such synthesis known in the art may additionally or alternatively be employed. It is also known to use similar techniques to prepare other oligonucleotides such as the phosphorothioates and alkylated derivatives.

Teachings regarding the synthesis of particular modified oligonucleotides may be found in the following U.S. patents or pending patent applications, each of which is commonly assigned with this application: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,138,045 and 5,218,105, drawn to polyamine conjugated oligonucleotides; U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,295, drawn to monomers for the preparation of oligonucleotides having chiral phosphorus linkages; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,378,825 and 5,541,307, drawn to oligonucleotides having modified backbones; U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,023, drawn to backbone modified oligonucleotides and the preparation thereof through reductive coupling; U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,191, drawn to modified nucleobases based on the 3-deazapurine ring system and methods of synthesis thereof; U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,255, drawn to modified nucleobases based on N-2 substituted purines; U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,302, drawn to processes for preparing oligonucleotides having chiral phosphorus linkages; U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,082, drawn to peptide nucleic acids; U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,746, drawn to oligonucleotides having β-lactam backbones; U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,902, drawn to methods and materials for the synthesis of oligonucleotides; U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,718, drawn to nucleosides having alkylthio groups, wherein such groups may be used as linkers to other moieties attached at any of a variety of positions of the nucleoside; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,587,361 and 5,599,797, drawn to oligonucleotides having phosphorothioate linkages of high chiral purity; U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,351, drawn to processes for the preparation of 2′-O-alkyl guanosine and related compounds, including 2,6-diaminopurine compounds; U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,469, drawn to oligonucleotides having N-2 substituted purines; U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,470, drawn to oligonucleotides having 3-deazapurines; U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,168, issued Jun. 29, 1993, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,046, both drawn to conjugated 4′-desmethyl nucleoside analogs; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,602,240, and 5,610,289, drawn to backbone modified oligonucleotide analogs; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/383,666, filed Feb. 3, 1995, now U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,262,241, and 5,459,255, drawn to, inter alia, methods of synthesizing 2′-fluoro-oligonucleotides.

In the ligand conjugated oligonucleotides and ligand molecule-bearing sequence-specific linked nucleosides of the present invention, the oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides may be assembled on a suitable DNA synthesizer utilizing standard nucleotide or nucleoside precursors, or nucleotide or nucleoside conjugate precursors that already bear the linking moiety, or ligand-nucleotide or nucleoside conjugate precursors that already bear the ligand molecule.

When using nucleotide conjugate precursors that already bear a linking moiety, the synthesis of the sequence-specific linked nucleosides is typically completed, and the ligand molecule is then reacted with the linking moiety to form the ligand conjugated oligonucleotide. This approach to the synthesis of oligonucleotide conjugates bearing a variety of molecules such as steroids, vitamins, lipids and reporter molecules has previously been described (see Manoharan et al., PCT Application WO 93/07883). In a preferred embodiment the oligonucleotides or linked nucleosides of the present invention are synthesized by an automated synthesizer using phosphoramidites derived from ligand-nucleoside conjugates in addition to the standard phosphoramidites and non-standard phosphoramidites that are commercially available and routinely used in oligonucleotide synthesis.

In application Ser. No. US91/00243, application Ser. No. 07/463,358, now abandoned, and application Ser. No. 07/566,977, now abandoned, all incorporated herein by reference, it is reported that incorporation of a 2′-O-methyl, 2′-O-ethyl, 2′-O-propyl, 2′-O-allyl, 2′-O-aminoalkyl or 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro group in nucleosides of an oligonucleotide confers enhanced hybridization properties to the oligonucleotide. It is further reported that oligonucleotides containing phosphorothioate backbones have enhanced nuclease stability. Thus, functionalized, linked nucleosides of the invention can be augmented to further include either or both a phosphorothioate backbone or a 2′-O-methyl, 2′-O-ethyl, 2′-O-propyl, 2′-O-aminoalkyl, 2′-O-allyl or 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro group thereon.

In some preferred embodiments, functionalized nucleoside sequences of the invention possessing an amino group at the 5′-terminus are prepared using a DNA synthesizer, and then reacted with an active ester derivative of a selected ligand. Active ester derivatives are well known to those skilled in the art. Representative active esters include N-hydrosuccinimide esters, tetrafluorophenolic esters, pentafluorophenolic esters and pentachlorophenolic esters. The reaction of the amino group and the active ester produces an oligonucleotide in which the selected ligand is attached to the 5′-position through a linking group. The amino group at the 5′-terminus can conveniently be prepared utilizing the above noted 5′-Amino-Modifier C6 reagent. In a preferred embodiment, ligand molecules may be conjugated to oligonucleotides at the 5′-position by the use of a ligand-nucleoside phosphoramidite wherein the ligand is linked to the 5′-hydroxy group directly or indirectly via a linker. Such ligand-nucleoside phosphoramidites are typically used at the end of an automated synthesis procedure to provide a ligand conjugated oligonucleotide bearing the ligand at the 5′-terminus.

In further preferred embodiments, functionalized nucleoside sequences of the invention can be prepared wherein a selected ligand is attached to the 3′-terminal amino group using a 3′-amino modified controlled pore glass (sold by Clontech Laboratories Inc., Palo Alto, Calif.) and subsequent attachment of the ligand is achieved by reaction with a ligand active ester.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ligand may be attached to the oligonucleotide at the 3′-terminus through the use of an appropriate multifunctional linker such as a universal linker. In this case the ligand is first derivatized with the universal linker and this conjugate then loaded onto a solid support. Subsequent synthesis of nucleic acids or oligonucleotides on this solid support affords upon cleavage and deprotection the ligand conjugated oligonucleotide bearing a ligand molecule at the 3′-terminus.

In still further preferred embodiments, functionalized sequences of nucleosides and ligand conjugated oligonucleotides of the present invention can be prepared wherein the ligand molecule is attached either directly or via a linking group to any one of the atoms of the nucleobase of any of the nucleoside units of the oligonucleotide. Thus, one or more ligand molecules may be attached to the nucleobase at the 3′-terminus, the 5′-terminus or any position in between. Such attachment can be accomplished, for example, by chemistries described in the literature, and mentioned above. The preferred mode of attachment of ligand molecules to nucleobases is via the intermediacy of an appropriate linker present on a nucleoside precursor. The ligand-nucleoside conjugate is then phosphitylated at the 3′-position to afford a ligand-nucleoside conjugate phosphoramidite which may be used subsequently as a building block together with traditional nucleoside phosphoramidites for the automated synthesis of oligonucleotides. The number and location of insertion of such ligand nucleotide conjugate phosphoramidites will then dictate the number and location of ligand molecules present in the synthesized ligand conjugated oligonucleotide of the present invention.

The present invention also provides ligand conjugated oligonucleotides wherein the ligand molecule is attached to one of the atoms of the internucleotide linkage. One typical internucleotide linkage in nucleic acids and oligonucleotides is the phosphodiester linkage. Numerous modified internucleotide linkages are known in the art including, but not limited to, phosphorothioate, methyl phosphonate, and phosphordithioate, as described above. Ligand molecules may be conjugated at one of the atoms of such internucleotide linkages with or without the intermediacy of a linking group. Attachment of the ligand molecule may be accomplished in accordance with the methods of the invention either during the preparation of the nucleoside building block such as the phosphoramidite or may be performed during the formation of the internucleotide linkage during oligonucleotide synthesis.

In further preferred embodiments of the invention, the ligand molecule is attached at multiple sites on one oligonucleotide. For example, ligand conjugated oligonucleotides can be prepared wherein one or more ligands are attached to both ends of a linked nucleoside sequence. Preferably such a structure is prepared by reacting a 3′, 5′-diamino sequence with a ligand active ester. The required oligonucleoside sequence can be synthesized, for example, utilizing the 3′-Amino-Modifier and the 5′-Amino-Modifier C6 (or Aminolink-2) reagents noted above or by utilizing the above noted 3′-amino modified controlled pore glass reagent in combination with the 5′-Amino-Modifier C2 (or Aminolink-2) reagents. Alternatively, such multiply conjugated oligonucleotides may readily be synthesized according to the methods of the invention using an appropriate ligand-nucleoside conjugate phosphoramidites as and where needed in a given oligonucleotide sequence during automated synthesis.

In still further preferred embodiments of the invention, an oligonucleoside sequence bearing an aminolinker at the 2′-position of one or more selected nucleosides is prepared using a suitably functionalized nucleotide such as, for example, 5′-dimethoxytrityl-2′-O-(ε-phthalimidylaminopentyl)-2′-deoxyadenosine-3′-N,N-di-isopropyl-cyanoethoxy phosphoramidite. See the above referenced patent applications Ser. Nos. US91/00243, 07/566,977, now abandoned, and Ser. No. 07/463,358, now abandoned. Preferably, the nucleotide or nucleotides are attached to the ligand by reaction with an active ester or a thioisocyanate thereof, at one or more of the nucleoside components of the oligonucleotide.

In yet further preferred embodiments, functionalized nucleoside sequences of the invention can be prepared wherein the heterocyclic base of one or more nucleosides can be linked to a ligand molecule. for example, utilizing 5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-[N(7-trifluoroacetylaminoheptyl)-3-acrylamido]-2′-deoxyuridine 3′-O-(methyl N,N-diisopropyl)-phosphoramide as described by Jablonski et. al. supra (also commercially available from Glen Research) the desired nucleoside, functionalized to incorporate a linking group on its heterocyclic base, is incorporated into the linked nucleoside sequence using a DNA synthesizer.

In further functionalized linked nucleosides of the invention, conjugation (or linking) of ligand molecules is achieved by conjugation of the ligand to the above described amino linking group on the nucleoside. This can be effected in several ways. For example, a ligand-nucleoside conjugate of the invention can be prepared by conjugation of the ligand molecule to the nucleoside using EDC/sulfo-NHS (i.e. 1-ethyl-3(3-dimethylaminopropylcarbodiimide/N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide) to conjugate the carboxylate function of the ligand with the amino function of the linking group on the-nucleoside.

Ligand conjugated oligonucleotides of the present invention may be prepared by conjugation of the ligand molecule to the nucleoside sequence via a heterobifunctional linker such as m-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide ester (MBS) or succinimidyl 4-(N-maleimidomethyl)cyclo-hexane-1-carboxylate (SMCC), to link a nucleophilic position, preferably a thiol, on the ligand molecule to the amino function of the linking group on nucleoside sequence. By this mechanism, an oligonucleoside-maleimide conjugate is formed by reaction of the amino group of the linker on the linked nucleosides with the MBS or SMCC maleimide linker. The conjugate is then reacted with ligand molecules, preferably those that possess a thiol functionality.

Alternatively, an ligand conjugated oligonucleotide can be prepared by conjugation of the ligand molecule to the oligonucleotide or nucleoside via a homobifunctional linker such as disuccinimidyl suberate (DSS), to link an amino function on the ligand to the amino group of a linker on the oligonucleotide sequence. By this mechanism, an oligonucleoside-succinimidyl conjugate is formed by reaction of the amino group of the linker on the nucleoside sequence with a disuccinimidyl suberate linker. The disuccinimidyl suberate linker couples with the amine linker on the nucleoside to extend the size of the linker. The extended linker is then reacted with an amino group of the ligand molecule.

Alternatively, the molecule being conjugated may be converted into a building block such as a phosphoramidite via an alcohol group present in the molecule or by attachment of a linker bearing an alcohol group that may be phosphitylated.

Each of these approaches may be used for the synthesis of ligand conjugated oligonucleotides. Aminolinked oligonucleotides may be coupled directly with ligand via the use of coupling reagents or following activation of the ligand as an NHS or pentfluorophenolate ester. Ligand phosphoramidites may be synthesized via the attachment of an aminohexanol linker to one of the carboxyl groups followed by phosphitylation of the terminal alcohol functionality. Other linkers such as cysteamine may also be utilized for conjugation to a chloroacetyl linker present on a synthesized oligonucleotide.

In one preferred embodiment of the methods of the invention, the preparation of ligand conjugated oligonucleotides commences with the selection of appropriate precursor molecules upon which to construct the ligand molecule. Typically the precursor is an appropriately protected derivative of the commonly used nucleosides. For example, the synthetic precursors for the synthesis of the ligand conjugated oligonucleotides of the present invention include, but are not limited to, 2′-aminoalkoxy-5′-ODMT-nucleosides, 2′-6-aminoalkylamino-5′-ODMT-nucleosides, 5′-6-aminoalkoxy-2′-deoxy-nucleosides, 5′-6-aminoalkoxy-2-protected-nucleosides, 3′-6-aminoalkoxy-5′-ODMT-nucleosides, and 3′-aminoalkylamino-5′-ODMT-nucleosides that may be further protected in the nucleobase portion of the molecule. The use of such precursors is anticipated to afford ligand conjugated oligonucleotides where attachment is at one of many possible sites such as the 2′, 3′ or 5′ position of one or more of the nucleoside components of oligonucleotides. Methods for the synthesis of such aminolinked protected nucleoside precursors are known to the art skilled and are available in the literature.

In one embodiment of the invention a conjugated oligonucleotide is prepared starting with a conjugated nucleoside using solid phase chemistries. An oligonucleoside is selected having a serum protein binding ligand attached or optionally linked to one the 2′, 3′, or 5′ positions, a protected hydroxyl at one of the 2′, 3′, or 5′ positions and a free hydroxyl group located at the other one of the 2′, 3′, or 5′ positions. The free hydroxyl group is treated with a bi-functional linking moiety and the resulting nucleoside is reacted with a solid support. A representative conjugated nucleoside aattached via a succinyl linker at the 2′-O-position to a solid support (from Example 20) is shown below:

The ligand is ibuprofen and the linker is a preferred 6-aminohexlyoxy linking group. Bx is a heterocyclic base moiety and Pg is a hydroxyl protecting group. The resulting solid support bound conjugated nucleoside is treated with a weak acid to remove the hydroxyl protecting group and treated with a further nucleoside or nucleotide to form a dimer. In one aspect of the invention the coupling of further nucleosides to form a desired oligonucleotide is performed using phosphoramidite monomers following known methods and procedures.

As used herein, the term “alkyl” includes but is not limited to straight chain, branch chain, and alicyclic hydrocarbon groups. Alkyl groups of the present invention may be substituted. Representative alkyl substituents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,295, at column 12, lines 41-50, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

As used herein, the term “aralkyl” denotes alkyl groups which bear aryl groups, for example, benzyl groups. The term “alkaryl” denotes aryl groups which bear alkyl groups, for example, methylphenyl groups. “Aryl” groups are aromatic cyclic compounds including but not limited to phenyl, naphthyl, anthracyl, phenanthryl, pyrenyl, and xylyl.

As used herein, the term “alkanoyl” has its accustomed meaning as a group of formula —C(═O)-alkyl. A preferred alkanoyl group is the acetoyl group.

In general, the term “hetero” denotes an atom other than carbon, preferably but not exclusively N, O, or S, SO and SO2. Accordingly, the term “heterocycle” denotes a cyclic structure having at least one non-carbon atom. “Cyclo” or “cyclyl” includes a cyclic group which may be mono-, bi- or tricyclic, and may be substituted with substituents such as oxo, acyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, amino, amido, azido, aryl, heteroaryl, carboxylic acid, cyano, guanidino, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, hydrazino, ODMT, alkylsulfonyl, nitro, sulfide, sulfone, sulfonamide, thiol and thioalkoxy.

Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following examples, which are not intended to be limiting.

EXAMPLE 13′-O-Hexylaminofenbufenyl-5′-O-DMT-5-methyluridine (1)

To a solution of 3′-O-(6-aminohexyl)-5-methyluridine (1.0 g, 1.51 mmol) (prepared according to the method described in Manoharan et al. (Tetrahedron Lett., 1995, 36:3647) dissolved in CH2Cl2 (15 mL) was added fenbufen (sigma, 424 mg, 1.66 mmol), followed by N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (Fluka, 342 mg, 1.66 mmol) with shaking for about 2 hours. The mixture was filtered to remove dicyclohexylurea and the filtrate was partitioned between CH2Cl2 (50 mL) and saturated sodium bicarbonate solution (50 mL). The organic layer was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated. The resultant foam was purified by silica gel column chromatography using 50:50 EtOAc:hexanes as the eluent to give 1.75 g (92%) of the title compound as a colorless solid.

Compound 1 (1.00 g, 1.12 mmol), succinic anhydride (0.168 g, 1.68 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.068 g, 0.56 mmol), and triethylamine (0.16 mL, 1.12 mmol) were dissolved in 1,2-dichloroethane (3 mL) at room temperature. The reaction mixture, in a test-tube with a screw cap top, was placed in a heating block at 55° C. for 2 hours and then allowed to cool to room temperature overnight. TLC using EtOAc:MeOH (85/15; v/v) showed complete conversion of the starting material. 1,2-Dichloroethane (30 mL) was added and the mixture was washed three times with portions of cold 10% citric acid (17 mL, aq) followed by three washes with portions of water (17 mL). The organic-phase was dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to 1.14 g (100%) of the title compound as a foam.

Compound 2 (1.04 g, 1.05 mmol) and 4-methylmorpholine (0.23 mL, 2.10 mmol) were dissolved in DMF(19 mL) at room temperature. 2-(1H-Benzotriazole-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetra-methyluronium tetrafluoroborate (0.34 g, 1.05 mmol) and acid washed LCAA-CPG (4.56 g, 0.52 mmol) were added and the mixture was shaken overnight. The resulting resin was then washed three times with CH2Cl2 and three times with ether. The initial loading was found to be 41 μmol/g. The resin was then combined with Cap A (20 mL) and Cap B (20 mL) solutions from PerSeptive Biosystems GmbH, and shaken for another hour and washed with three portions of CH2Cl2 and ether. The capped resin 3 was placed under vacuum to dry overnight and the loading was determined to be 46 μmol/g.

To a solution of 3′-O-(6-aminohexyl)-5-methyluridine (1.0 g, 1.51 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (15 mL) was added a solution of ketoprofen (sigma, 422 mg, 1.66 mmol) and DCC (Fluka, 342 mg, 1.66 mmol) with shaking for 2 hrs. The mixture was filtered and the filtrate was partitioned between CH2Cl2 (50 mL) and a solution of saturated sodium bicarbonate (50 mL). The organic layer was separated, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated. The residual foam was purified by silica gel column chromatography using 50:50 ethylacetate:hexanes as the eluant to give 1.82 g (88%) of the title compound.

Compound 4 (1.00 g, 1.12 mmol), succinic anhydride (0.168 g, 1.68 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.068 g, 0.56 mmol), and triethylamine (0.16 mL, 1.12 mmol) were dissolved in 1,2-dichloroethane (3 mL) at room temperature. The reaction mixture (in a test-tube with a screw cap top) was placed in a heating block at 55° C. for 2 hours and then cooled to room temperature. TLC using EtOAc:MeOH (85/15; v/v) showed the absence of starting material. The mixture was diluted with 1,2-dichloroethane (30 mL) and washed three times with cold 10% citric acid (aqueous, 17 mL) and three times with water (17 mL). The organic-phase was dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to give 1.14 g (100%) of the title compound as a foam.

Compound 5 (1.04 g, 1.05 mmol) and 4-methylmorpholine (0.23 mL, 2.10 mmol) were dissolved in DMF (19 mL) at room temperature. 2-(1H-Benzotriazole-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate (0.34 g, 1.05 mmol) and acid washed LCAA-CPG (4.56 g, 0.52 mmol) were added and the mixture was shaken overnight. The resulting resin was washed with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3). The initial loading was found to be 32 μmol/g. The resin was combined with Cap A (20 mL) and Cap B (20 mL) solutions from PerSeptive Biosystems GmbH, and shaken for another hour. The resin was washed again with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3). The capped resin (6) was dried under vacuum overnight. The loading was determined to be 44 μmol/g.

EXAMPLE 73′-O-(6-Aminohexyl-suprofenyl)-5′-O-DMT-5-methyluridine (7)

To a solution of 3′-O-(6-aminohexyl)-5-methyluridine (1.0 g, 1.51 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (15 mL) was added a solution of suprofen (sigma, 432 mg, 1.66 mmol) followed by DCC (Fluka, 342 mg, 1.66 mmol). After shaking the reaction mixture for 2 hours, dicyclohexyl urea was filtered off. The resulting organic solution was partitioned between CH2Cl2 (50 mL) and a solution of saturated NaHCO3. The organic layer was separated, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated. The resulting product was purified by silica gel column chromatography using 50:50 ethylacetate:hexanes as the eluant to give 1.75 g (88%) of the title compound as a colorless solid.

Compound 7 (1.00 g, 1.11 mmol), succinic anhydride (0.167 g, 1.66 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.068 g, 0.56 mmol), and triethylamine (0.15 mL, 1.11 mmol) were dissolved in 1,2-dichloroethane (3 mL) at room temperature. The reaction mixture (in a test-tube with a screw cap top) was placed in a heating block at 55° C. for 2 hours and then cooled to room temperature overnight. TLC using EtOAc:MeOH (85:15, v/v) showed that all the starting material had been converted. The mixture was diluted with 1,2-dichloroethane (30 mL) washed three times with cold 10% acid (aqueous, 17 mL) and three times with water (17 mL). The organic-phase was dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to give 1.13 g (100%) of the title compound as a foam.

Compound 8 (1.03 g, 1.03 mmol) and 4-methylmorpholine (0.23 mL, 2.06 mmol) were dissolved in DMF (19 mL) at room temperature. 2-(1H-Benzotriazole-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate (0.33 g, 1.03 mmol) and acid washed LCAA-CPG (4.47 g, 0.52 mmol) were added and the mixture was shaken overnight. The resulting resin was then washed with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3). The initial loading was found to be 36 μmol/g. The resin was then combined with Cap A (20 mL) and Cap B (20 mL) solutions from PerSeptive Biosystems GmbH, and shaken for one hour. The resin was washed with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3). The capped resin 9 was dried under vacuum overnight and the loading was determined to be 47 μmol/g.

To a solution of 3′-O-(6-aminohexyl)-5-methyluridine (1.0 g, 1.51 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (15 mL) was added carprofen (sigma, 453 mg, 1.66 mmol) followed by DCC (Fluka, 342 mg, 1.66 mmol). After shaking the reaction mixture for 2 hours, dicyclohexyl urea was filtered off. The resulting organic solution was partitioned between CH2Cl2 (50 mL) and a solution of saturated NaHCO3. The organic layer was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, evaporated. The resulting product was purified by silica gel column chromatography using 50:50 ethylacetate:hexanes as the eluant to give 1.65 g (84%) of the title compound as a colorless solid.

Compound 10 (1.00 g, 1.09 mmol), succinic anhydride (0.164 g, 1.64 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.066 g, 0.54 mmol), and triethylamine (0.15 mL, 1.09 mmol) were dissolved in 1,2-dichloroethane (3 mL) at room temperature. The reaction mixture (in a test-tube with a screw cap top) was placed in a heating block at 55° C. for 2 hours and then cooled to room temperature. TLC using EtOAc:MeOH (85/15/v/v) showed that the starting material was converted. The mixture was diluted with 1,2-dichloroethane (30 mL) and washed three times with cold 10% citric acid (aqueous, 17 mL) and three times with water (17 mL). The organic phase was dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to give 1.07 g (97%) of the title compound as a foam.

Compound 11 (0.970 g, 0.96 mmol) and 4-methylmorpholine (0.21 mL, 1.92 mmol) were dissolved in DMF (19 mL) at room temperature. 2-(1H-Benzotriazole-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate (0.31 g, 0.96 mmol) and acid washed LCAA-CPG (4.14 g, 0.48 mmol) were added and the mixture was shaken overnight. The resulting resin was washed with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3). The initial loading was found to be 39 μmol/g. The resin was then combined with Cap A (20 mL) and Cap B (20 mL) solutions from PerSeptive Biosystems GmbH, and shaken for one hour. The resin was again washed with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3). The capped resin 12 was dried under vacuum. The loading was determined to be 41 μmol/g.

To a solution of 3′-O-(6-aminohexyl)-5′-O-DMT-uridine (1.5 g, 2.33 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (20 mL) at room temperature was added diisopropylamine (0.81 mL, 4.66 mmol) followed by palmitic acid pentafluorophenyl ester (compound, vide infra, 1.04 g, 2.8 mmol) with stirring overnight. The mixture was concentrated and the residue purified by silica gel column chromatography using EtOAc: CH3OH (90:10; v/v) as the eluent to give 1.39 g (72%) of the title compound without the 2′-O-succinyl group attached.

The above conjugate (1.12 mmol), succinic anhydride (0.17 g, 1.7 mmol), dimethyl amino pyridine (0.068 g, 0.56mmol) and triethyl amine (0.16 mL, 1.12 mmol) were dissolved in 1,2-dichloroethane (3 mL) at room temperature in a test-tube with a screw cap top. The reaction mixture was placed in a heating block at 55° C. for 2 hours and then cooled to room temperature. TLC using EtOAc:MeOH (85:15; v/v) showed the absence of starting material. The mixture was diluted with 1,2-dichloroethane(30 mL) and washed three times with cold 10% aqueous citric acid (25 mL) and three times with water (25 mL). The organic phase was dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to give 1.2 g (quantitative yield) of the title compound as a foam.

Compound 13 (1.35 g, 1.35 mmol) and 4-dimethyl-aminopyridine (0.16 g, 1.35 mmol) were dissolved in CH3CN (12.2 mL) at room temperature in a first flask. In a second flask, 2,2′-dithiobis-5-nitropyridine (0.42 g, 1.35 mmol) was dissolved in acetonitrtile (8.53 mL) and dicholoromethane (3.64 mL) and the resulting solution was added to the first flask. In a third flask, triphenylphosphine (0.35 g, 1.35 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous CH3CN (12.2 mL) and the resulting solution was added to the first flask. Acid washed LCAA-CPG (10.9 g, having a loading of 115 mol/g) was added and the mixture was shaken for about 3 hours. The resulting resin was washed with CH3CN (×3) followed by CH2Cl2 and ether to removed excess reagents. To the washed resin was added acetic anhydride (25 mL) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and 1-methylimidazole (25 mL) in THF (Cap A and Cap B reagents from Perseptive Biosystems GmbH) and the mixture was shaken for an 2 hours. The resin was again washed again with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3). The washed resin was dried overnight in a vacuum oven at room temperature under P2O5. The yield of dried resin was 10.8 g with the loading determined to be 44 mol/g.

A portion of the final resin (3.8 mg) was cleaved by treatment with trichloroacetic acid (25 mL, 3%) in CH2Cl2. The loading was determined by measuring the absorption of released trityl cation at 503 nm on a spectrophotometer (Hewlett packard 8452A Diode Array spectrophotometer). The final derivatized resin yield was 10.8 g total.

To compound 15 (1.20 g, 1.36 mmol) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (30 mL) at room temperature was added benzoic anhydride (0.37 g, 1.63 mmol) with stirring overnight. Saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate was added and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (×3). The organic-phase was dried over magnesium sulfate and evaporated. The crude product was then purified by silica gel column chromatography using EtOAc:MeOH (95/5; v/v) as the eluant to give 0.90 g (67%) of the title compound.

Compound 17 (0.95 g, 0.87 mmol) and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (0.11 g, 0.87 mmol) were dissolved in CH3CN (7.0 mL) and CH2Cl2 (4 mL) at room temperature in a first flask. In a second flask 2,2′-dithiobis(5-nitropyridine) (0.28 g, 0.87 mmol) was dissolved in CH3CN (6.0 mL) and CH2Cl2 (2.5 mL) and added to the first flask. In a third flask triphenylphosphine (0.23 g, 0.87 mmol) was dissolved in CH3CN (7.0 mL) and then combined with the first flask. To the resulting mixture was added acid washed LCAA-CPG (3.78 g, 0.44 mmol) with shaking for about 2 hours. The resulting resin was washed with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3). Then it was combined with Cap A (25 mL) and Cap B (25 mL) solutions from PerSeptive Biosystems GmbH, and shaken for one hour. The resin was again washed with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3) and placed under vacuum overnight to dry. The final loading was determined to be 58 μmol/g.

EXAMPLE 193′-O-(6-Aminohexyl-palmityl)-5′-O-DMT-uridine (19)

To a solution of 3′-O-(6-aminohexyl)-5′-O-DMT-uridine (1.5 g, 2.33 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (20 mL) at room temperature was added diisopropylamine (0.81 mL, 4.66 mmol) followed by ibuprofen pentafluorophenyl ester (compound 21, vide infra 1.04 g, 2.8 mmol) with stirring overnight. The mixture was concentrated and the residue purified by silica gel column chromatography using EtOAc:CH3OH (90:10; v/v) as the eluant to give 1.39 g (72%) of the title compound minus the succinyl group.

The above conjugate (1.12 mmol) succinic anhydride (0.17 g, 1.7 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.068 g, 0.56 mmol) and triethyl amine (0.16 mL, 1.12 mmol) were dissolved in 1,2-dichloroethane (3 mL) at room temperature in a test-tube with a screw cap top. The reaction mixture was placed in a heating block at 55° C. for 2 hours and then cooled to room temperature. TLC using EtOAc:MeOH (85:15; v/v) showed the absence of starting material. The mixture was diluted with 1,2-dichloroethane (30 mL) and washed three times with cold 10% aqueous citric acid (25 mL) and three times with water (25 mL). The organic phase was dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to give 1.2 g (quantitative yield) of the title compound as a foam.

Compound 19 (1.02 g, 1.08 mmol) and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (0.13 g, 1.08 mmol) were dissolved in CH3CN (9.73 mL) at room temperature in a flask. To this solution was added a solution of 2,2′-dithiobis(5-nitro-pyridine) (0.34 g, 1.08 mmol) dissolved in acetonitrtile (6.80 mL) and CH2Cl2 (2.90 mL) followed by a solution of triphenylphosphine (0.28 g, 1.08 mmol) dissolved in CH3CN (9.73 mL). To this mixture was added acid washed LCAA-CPG (8.69 g, with a loading of 115 mol/g) with shaking for about 2.5 hours. The resulting resin was washed with CH3CN (×3), CH2Cl2 (×3), and ether (×3) to removed excess reagents. The washed resin was combined with acetic anhydride (25 mL) in THF and 1-methylimidazole (25 mL) in THF (Cap A and Cap B reagents from Perseptive Biosystems GmbH) with shaking for 2 hours. The resin was again washed with dichloromethane (×3) and ether (×3). Finally, it was dried overnight in a vacuum oven at room temperature under P2O5. The final loading was determined to be 53 mol/g.

A portion of the final resin (3.0 mg) was cleaved by treatment with trichloroacetic acid (25 mL, 3%) in CH2Cl2. The loading was determined by measuring the absorption of released trityl cation at 503 nm on a spectrophotometer (Hewlett Packard 8452A Diode Array spectrophotometer). The final derivatized resin yield was 8.90 g total.

EXAMPLE 21Ibuprofenylpentafluorophenyl ester (21)

To a solution of ibuprofen (2.00 g, 9.70 mmol, Sigma) dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (20 mL) at room temperature was added 4-dimethylaminopyridine (0.24 g, 1.94 mmol) and 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (2.00 g, 9.70 mmol) with stirring for 20 minutes. To this mixture was added pentafluorophenol (1.78 g, 9.70 mmol) with stirring overnight. The mixture was then filtered, to remove DCU, and CH2Cl2 was added. The mixture was washed with water (×2), dried over magnesium sulfate, and evaporated to an oil. The oil was purified by silica gel column chromatography using ethyl acetate:hexanes (5/95, v/v) as the eluant to give 2.70 g (75%) of the title compound.

To a solution of compound 22 (1.45 g, 1.74 mmol) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (30 mL) at room temperature was added benzoic anhydride (0.0.57 g, 2.53 mmol) with stirring overnight. Saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate was added and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (×3). The organic phase was dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated. The crude product was then purified by silica gel column chromatography using EtOAc:MeOH (90/10; v/v) as the eluant to give 0.97 g (60%) of the title compound.

Compound 23 (0.95 g, 1.01 mmol), succinic anhydride (0.152 g, 1.52 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.062 g, 0.50 mmol), and triethylamine (0.14 mL, 1.01 mmol) were dissolved in 1,2-dichloroethane (4.5 mL) at room temperature. The reaction mixture (in a test-tube with a screw cap top) was placed in a heating block at 55° C. for 1 hour and then allowed to cool to room temperature. TLC using EtOAc:MeOH (90/10; v/v) showed the conversion of the starting material. The mixture was diluted with CH2Cl2 (45 mL) washed three times with cold 10% citric acid (aqueous, 20 mL) and three times with water (20 mL). The organic-phase was dried over magnesium sulfate and evaporated to give 1.05 g (100%) of the title compound as a foam.

To a solution of compound 24 (1.03 g, 0.99 mmol) and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (0.12 g, 0.99 mmol) dissolved in CH3CN (8.0 mL) at room temperature was added a solution of 2,2′-dithiobis(5-nitropyridine) (0.31 g, 0.99 mmol) dissolved in CH3CN (7.0 mL) and CH2Cl2 (3.0 mL) followed by a solution of triphenylphosphine (0.26 g, 0.99 mmol) dissolved in CH3CN (8.0 mL). To the resulting mixture was added acid washed LCAA-CPG (4.31 g, 0.50 mmol) and the mixture was shaken for about 2 hours. The resulting resin was washed with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3). Then it was combined with Cap A (26 mL) and Cap B (26 mL) solutions from PerSeptive Biosystems GmbH, and shaken for one hour. The resin was again washed with CH2Cl2 (×3) and ether (×3) and dried under vacuum overnight. The final loading was determined to be 50 μmol/g.

Each oligonucleotide was synthesized on an approximately 1×2 mol synthesis scale, requiring about 50 mg of derivatized LCAA-CPG for each synthesis. Deprotection of the 5′-hydroxyl groups having a DMT protecting group was performed using trichloroacetic acid (1.2 mL 3% in CH2Cl2) per phosphoramidite coupling followed by an CH3CN wash. To the detritylated LCAA-CPG amidite (0.3 mL) and 1-H-tetrazole (0.6 mL, 0.49M) in CH3CN were then delivered. The coupling time was approximately 5 minutes for standard 2′-deoxy phosphoramidites and approximately 14 mininutes for novel phosphoramidites. Amidite was delivered twice per coupling. Excess amidite was washed away with CH3CN. (2R, 8aS)-(+)-(10-camphorsulfonyl) oxaziridine (0.5 mL, 36M) in CH3CN were delivered over four minutes to oxidize the phosphodiester linkages, followed by another CH3CN wash. Unreacted functionalities were capped with a 50:50 mixture (0.2 mL/coupling) of acetic anhydride in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and 1-methylimidazole in THF, followed by an anhydrous CH3CN wash. Synthesis cycles (including: detritylation, amidite coupling, oxidation and capping) continued until the desired length was reached. Trityl yields were followed by the trityl monitor during the duration of each synthesis. The final DMT group was left intact.

After synthesis oligonucleotides were deprotected and cleaved from the solid support using aqueous concentrated ammonium hydroxide at 55° C. for approximately 16 hours. Oligonucleotides were then filtered from the solid support and ammonia was evaporated in a Savant AS160 Automatic Speed Vac.

The oligonucleotide crude yield was measured on a Hewlett Packard 8452A Diode Array spectrophotometer at 260 nm. The crude samples were then analyzed for integrity by mass spectrometry (Hewlett Packard electrospray mass spectrometer), capillary gel electrophoresis (Beckmann P/ACE system 5000), and high performance liquid chromatography (Waters 600E HPLC system with Waters 991 detector). Tritylon oligonucleotides were purified by HPLC (Waters) using reverse phase protocols (HPLC conditions: Waters 600E with 991 detector; Waters C4 Delta Pak column (7.8×300 mm, 15, 300 Å); solvent A=50 mM triethylammonium acetate, pH=7.0; solvent B=100% CH3CN; 2.5 mL/minute flow rate; gradient: 5% B for first five minutes with a linear increase in B to 60% over the next 55 minutes). Appropriate HPLC fractions were collected, evaporated to completeness, detritylated in 80% acetic acid in water at room temperature for approximately one hour, and then evaporated once again. To remove free trityl and excess salt, detritylated oligos were dissolved in aqueous ammonia and passed through Sephadex G-25 resin, using water as solvent. Samples were collected by a Pharmacia LKB Super Frac fraction collector. The purified oligonucleotides were then analyzed for purity by CGE, MS, and HPLC (flow rate: 1.5 mL/minute, Waters Delta Pak C4 column, 3.9×300 mm, 15, 300 Å). Final yields were determined by a spectrophotometer at 260 nm.

The required amounts of the amidites were placed in dried vials, dissolved in CH3CN (modified nucleosides were prepared to give 100 mg/mL), and connected to the appropriate ports on a Millipore Expedite™ Nucleic Acid Synthesis System. solid support resin (60 mg) was used in each column for 2×1 μmole scale synthesis. The synthesis was run sing the standard phosphoramidite protocols utilizing (+)-(2R, 8aS)-10(camphorylsulfonyl)oxaziridine (CSO) for oxidation steps. The trityl reports indicated normal coupling results.

After synthesis, the oligonucleotides were deprotected with concentrated ammonium hydroxide (aq) at 55° C. for approximately 16 hours, concentrated using a Savant AS160 Automatic SpeedVac, (to remove ammonia) and filtered to remove the CPG-resin. The crude samples were analyzed by MS, HPLC, and CE followed by purification on a Waters 600E HPLC system with a 991 detector (Waters C4 preparative scale column) using the following solvents: A: 50 mM TEA-Ac, pH 7.0 and B: CH3CN. The purified oligonucleotides were detritylated with 80% acetic acid at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes followed by concentrating under vacuum and drying. The oligonucleotides were dissolved in concentrated ammonium hydroxide and run through a column containing Sephadex G-25 using water as the solvent and a Pharmacia LKB SuperFrac fraction collector. The resulting purified oligonucleotides were evaporated and analyzed by MS, CE and HPLC.

TABLE III

SEQ

Modifi-

ID

cation

NO:

ISIS #

Sequence (5′-3′)1

T* =

3

25152-1

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC CT*

compound 3

3

25153-1

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC CT*

compound 6

3

25154-1

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC CT*

compound 9

3

25155-1

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC CT*

compound 12

All nucleotides are 2′-O-methoxyethyl (MOE) except for T*; backbone is fully phosphodiester; and heterocycles are unmodified. Are C's are 5-Me, as is the case below for Table V.

Two oligonucleotides were synthesized having SEQ ID NO: 4 (ISIS 32361-1 and ISIS 32362-1) on a Millipore Expedite 8901 Nucleic Acid Synthesis System. Compound 16 was used as theA-CPG solid support for the synthesis of ISIS 32361-1 and also a palmityl TC dimer. Compound 21 was used as the LCAA-CPG solid support for the synthesis of ISIS 32362-1 and an ibuprofenyl TC dimer. The following modified amidites were used in the above sequences: 5′-DMT-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5-methyluridine beta-cyanoethylphosphoramidite (PrOligo, Lot No. S 3044), 2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl)-5-Me-C Bz amidite (BSR-1026-89), 2′-O-MOE A phosphoramidite (Pharmacia Biotech, Lot No. 311119), and 2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl)-(iBu)G amidite (BSR-1026-84)

The required amounts of the amidites were placed in dried vials, dissolved in CH3CN (modified nucleosides prepared to be 100 mg/mL), and connected to the appropriate ports on a Millipore Expedite™ Nucleic Acid Synthesis System. Solid support resin (60 mg) was used in each column for 2×1 μmol scale synthesis. The synthesis was run using standard phosphoramidite protocols utilizing CSO for oxidation steps. The trityl reports indicated normal coupling results. After synthesis, the oligonucleotides were deprotected with concentrated ammonium hydroxide (aq) at 55° C. for approximately 16 hours. Then they were evaporated, using a Savant AS160 Automatic SpeedVac, (to remove ammonia) and filtered to remove the CPG-resin.

The crude samples were analyzed, purified and deprotected as illustrated above in Example 27. The dried oligonucleotides were dissolved in concentrated ammonium hydroxide and run through a column containing Sephadex G-25 with water used as eluent. The dimers were each further purified using a Dowex and then a Chelex column for NMR studies. The resulting purified oligonucleotides were evaporated and analyzed by MS, CE (MDQ) and HPLC.

TABLE V

SEQ

Modifi-

ID

cation

NO:

ISIS #

Sequence (5′-3′)1

C* =

4

32361-1

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC TC*

compound

16

4

32362-1

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC TC*

compound

21

dimer

TC* (16)

compound

16

dimer

TC* (21)

compound

21

All nucleotides are 2′-O-methoxyethyl (MOE) except for C*; backbone is fully phosphodiester; and heterocycles are unmodified except all C's are 5-methylcytidine.

Following the procedures illustrated in the examples above compounds 18 and 20 were incorporated into oligonucleotides SEQ ID NO: 4 as illustrated in Table VII. Compound 4-18 is ISIS 32361-1 and compound 4-20 is ISIS 32362-1.

Compound 26 was incorporated into SEQ ID NO: 4 (ISIS 29782-1) as the 3′-terminal nucleoside. The synthesis was performed on a Millipore Expedite 8901 nucleic acid Synthesizer. The incorporation of compound 26 into an oligonucleotide allows the conjugation at the 3′-end of the oligonucleotide via the 2′-aminopropyl group.

Nucleosides were purchased from commercial sources: 5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl)-N6-benzoyladenosine-3-O-amidite (RI Chemical, Lot #EMA-P-09); 5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl)-N4-benzoyl-5-methylcytidine-3′-O-amidite (RI Chemical, Lot #E805-P-17); 5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl)-N2-isobutylguanosine-3′-O-amidite (Pharmacia Biotech 27-0022-42), and 5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(2-methoxylethyl)-5-methyluridine-3′-O-amidite (Perceptive Biosystems). The 2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl) phosphoramidities were dissolved in CH3CN (100 mg amidite/1 mL CH3CN). Compound 26 was used as the LCAA-CPG solid support in the synthesis which effected its incorporation at the 3′ end of the oligonucleotide.

The oligonucleotide was synthesized on an approximately 2×20 μmol synthesis scale, requiring approximately 333 mg of derivatized LCAA-CPG each. The DMT protecting groups on the solid support were removed with tRI Chemicalhloroacetic acid (10.6 mL, 3%) in CH2Cl2 per coupling followed by an CH3CN wash. To the detritylated LCAA-CPG, amidite (1.20 mL) and 1-H-tetrazole (1.80 mL, 0.49M) in CH3CN were then delivered (total coupling time of approximately 24 minutes for novel amidites.) The amidite reagent was delivered four times per coupling. Excess amidite was washed away with CH3CN. (2R, 8aS)-(+)-(10-camphorsulfonyl) oxaziridine (2.40 mL 36.4M) in anhydrous CH3CN was delivered over four minutes to oxidize the phospodiester linkages, followed by another anhydrous CH3CN wash. Unreacted functionalities were capped with a 50:50 mixture (1.40 mL/coupling) of acetic anhydride in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and 1-methylimidazole in THF, followed by an anhydrous CH3CN wash. Trityl yields were followed by the trityl monitor during the duration of a synthesis. The final DMT group was left intact.

Following the synthesis, the oligonucleotides were deprotected and removed from the solid support with concentrated ammonium hydroxide (aq) and methylamine (Aldrich Chemicals, 10%, 40 wt. % solution in water) at 55° C. for approximately 16 hours. They were then filtered from the solid support and ammonia was evaporated in a Savant AS160 Automatic Speed Vac.

Oligonucleotide crude yield was measured on a Hewlett Packard 8452A Diode Array spectrophotometer at 260 nm. The crude samples were then analyzed for integrity by mass spectrometry (Hewlett Packard electrospray mass spectrometer), capillary gel electrophoresis (Beckmann P/ACE system 5000), and high performance liquid chromatography (Waters 600E HPLC system with Waters 991 detector). Tritylon oligonucleotides were purified on the Waters HPLC system by reverse phase as illustrated above. (HPLC conditions: waters C4 Delta Pak column (25×100 mm, 15 , 300 Å); solvent A=50 mM triethylammonium acetate, pH=7.0; solvent B=100% CH3CN; 5.0 mL/min. flow rate; gradient: 5% B for first five minutes with a linear increase in B to 60% over the next 55 minutes.) Appropriate HPLC fractions were collected, evaporated to completeness, detritylated in 80% acetic acid in water at room temperature for approximately one hour, and then evaporated once again. To remove free trityl and excess salt, detritylated oligos were dissolved in aqueous ammonia and passed through Sephadex G-25 resin, using water as solvent., Samples were collected by a Pharmacia LKB Super Frac fraction collector. The purified oligonucleotides were then analyzed for purity by CGE, MS, and HPLC (flow rate: 1.5 mL/min., Waters Delta Pak C4 column, 3.9×300 mm, 15, 300 Å). Final yields were determined by a spectrophotometer at 260 nm.

TABLE IX

SEQ

Crude

HPLC

ID

Yield

Retention

Expected

Observed

NO:

(@ 260

Final Yield

Time

Mass

Mass

-C*

nm)

(@ 260 nm)

(min)

(g/mol)

(g/mol)

4-26

6902 ODs

3100 ODs

22.19

7705.25

7704.32

EXAMPLE 31Ligand Conjugation to an Oligonucleotide Containing an Aminopropyl Linker

Oligonucleotide having SEQ ID NO: 4 and further having compound 26 attached as the 3′-nucleoside (4-26) was used as a substrate for post synthetic conjugation of functional groups. Four different functional groups (PEG2000, PEG5000, Biotin, and Pyrene) were conjugated and the respective oligonucleotides were purified. The groups are attached at the 3′ end of the oligonucleotide via a 2-O-aminohexyl linking group.

TABLE X

SEQ

ID

NO:

Sequence (5′-3′)

Modification

Target

4-26

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC

C* = 2′-O-PEG2000-

CD54

TC*

aminopropylcytidine

4-26

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC

C* = 2′-O-PEG5000-

CD54

TC*

aminopropylcytidine

4-26

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC

C* = 2′-O-

CD54

TC*

biotinylaminopropylcytidine

4-26

TCT GAG TAG CAG AGG AGC

C* = 2′-O-pyrenylpropyl

CD54

TC*

carbonylaminopropylcytidine

All nucleotides are 2′-O-MOE modified except C*.

All C's are 2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl)-5-methylcytidine.

A) Procedure for PEG2000, ISIS 30130-1

ISIS 29782-1 (100 ODs) contained in a closed-capped 13×100 mm pyrex test tube was dried down in a speed vac overnight. After drying, 200 mg PEG2000 and sodium bicarbonate (400 μL, 0.2M) were added to the oligonucleotide with shaking overnight. The reaction mixture was dissolved in water (3 mL) and purified by HPLC (HPLC conditions: Waters C4 Delta Pak column (7.8×300 mm, 15 , 300 Å); solvent A=50 mM triethylammonium acetate, pH=7.0; solvent B=100% CH3CN; flow rate 2.5 mL/minute; gradient: 5% B for first five minutes with a linear increase in B to 60% over the next 55 minutes. The fractions of interest were collected and evaporated. To remove salt and free PEG2000 the oligonucleotide was passed through Sephadex G-25 resin and further purified by HPLC (conditions: solvent A=50 mM triethylammonium acetate, pH=7.0; solvent B=100% CH3CN; solvent C=H2O; flow rate 2.5 mL/minute; gradient: 100% A for first 10 minutes with a linear increase in C to 100% over the next 5 minutes, remaining constant for the next 60 minutes, followed by a linear increase in B to 100% for 20 minutes.) ISIS 30130-1 was analyzed for purity by Mass Spec, HPLC, and CGE. Final yield was determined by spectrophotometer at 260 nm.

B) Procedure for PEG5000, ISIS 30131-1

ISIS 29782-1 (100 ODs) contained in a closed-capped 13×100 mm pyrex test tube was dried down in a speed vac overnight. After drying, 150 mg PEG5000 and sodium bicarbonate (350 μL, 0.2M) was added with shaking overnight. The reaction mixture was dissolved in water (3 mL) and purified by HPLC as illustrated above. The final oligonucleotide was analyzed for purity by Mass Spec, HPLC, and CGE. Final yield was determined by spectrophotometer at 260 nm.

C) Procedure for biotin, ISIS 30132-1

ISIS 29782-1 (100 ODs) contained in a closed-capped 13×100 mm pyrex test tube was dried down in a speed vac overnight. After drying, 20 mg (+)-biotin N-succinimidyl ester (Fluka 14405) and sodium bicarbonate (200 μL 0.2M) was added to the oligonucleotide with shaking overnight. The mixture was shaken overnight. The reaction mixture was dissolved in water (3 mL) and purified by HPLC as illustrated above. The final oligonucleotide was analyzed for purity by Mass Spec, HPLC, and CGE. Final yield was determined by spectrophotometer at 260 nm.

D) Procedure for pyrene, ISIS 30133-1

ISIS 29782-1 (100 ODs) contained in a closed-capped 13×100 mm pyrex test tube was dried down in a speed vac overnight. After drying, 20 mg succinimidyl-1-pyrene butyrate (Molecular Probes, Lot #2721-3) and sodium bicarbonate (200 μL, 0.2M) was added to the oligonucleotide. The reaction mixture was dissolved in water (3 mL) and purified by HPLC as illustrated above. The final oligonucleotide was analyzed for purity by Mass Spec, HPLC, and CGE. Final yield was determined by spectrophotometer at 260 nm.

Benzylpenicillin potassium salt (0.56 g, 1.52 mmol, Fluka) was suspended in DMF (6 mL) at room temperature under an atmosphere of argon. 4-Methylmorpholine (0.33 mL, 3.04 mmol) and TBTU (0.49 g, 1.52 mmol) were added and the suspension became a clear orange solution. 3′-O-Hexylamino-5′-O-DMT-5-methyluridine (1.0 g, 1.52 mmol) was added and the mixture with stirring overnight. The mixture was evaporated under high vacuum to give the title compound.

Phenoxymethylpenicillinic acid (1.06 g, 3.03 mmol, Sigma) was dissolved in DMF (10 mL) at room temperature under an atmosphere of argon. 4-Methylmorpholine (0.67 mL, 6.06 mmol) and TBTU (0.97 g, 3.03 mmol) were added followed by 3′-O-hexylamino-5′-O-DMT-5-methyluridine (2.0 g, 3.03 mmol). The mixture was stirred overnight and then evaporated. The material was purified by silica gel column chromatography using ethyl acetate:triethylamine (100/1, v/v) as the eluant to give 0.496 g of the title compound.

EXAMPLE 34Succinimidylphenoxymethylpenicillin (24)

Phenoxymethylpenicillinic acid (1.00 g, 2.85 mmol, Sigma) was suspended in CH2Cl2 (10 mL) at room temperature under an atmosphere of argon. Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) (0.070 g, 0.57 mmol) was added and the suspension dissolved into a clear solution. 1,3-Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (0.59 g, 2.85 mmol) was added with stirring for about 30 minutes followed by addition of N-hydroxysuccinimide (0.33 g, 2.85 mmol). The suspension stirred for about 3 hours and filtered to remove DCU. The filter cake was washed with CH2Cl2 and the combined organic phase was washed twice with water (to remove DMAP). The organic-phase was then dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to a brown foam to give 1.26 g (98%) of the title compound. MS (ES+) calculated for C20H21N3O7S 447.1. Observed MH+ 449.1 (minor peak) and MH2+ 224.9 (major peak).

5′-Hexanolamine-phosphodiester-TGC ATC CCC CAG GCC ACC AT, SEQ ID NO: 5, (ISIS 3082) was prepared following standard methods and techniques using an automated DNA synthesizer. At the last step in synthesis 5′-amino-modifier C6 phosphoramidite (Glen Research, Sterling, Va.) was used to introduce the aminohexylphosphodiester attached to the 5′-end of the oligomer. All internucleotide linkages were P═O (phosphodiester) linkages and they were introduced by CSO oxidation protocol. The final oligonucleotide was deprotected and HPLC purified to give the 5′-aminohexyl phosphodiester linked oligonucleotide.

The aminohexyl linked oligonucleotide was dried to a white powder and dissolved in sodium bicarbonate (200 μL, 0.1 M, aq) at room temperature. Compound 24 (25 mg, 0.06 mmol) in DMF (200 μL) was added with vortexing and the mixture was kept overnight at room temperature. The mixture was run through a sephadex G-25 column using water as the solvent. The collected fractions were filtered through a syringe disk filter and purified by prep-HPLC using a C-4 column as illustrated in the previous examples. The collected fractions were concentrated and dried to give the title oligonucleotide.

5′ -Hexanolamine-phosphodiester-TC5MT GAG TAG C5MAG AGG AGC5MC5MT, SEQ ID NO: 3, (ISIS 11158) was prepared following standard methods and techniques using an automated DNA synthesizer. At the last step in the synthesis 5′-amino-modifier C6 phosphoramidite (Glen Research, Sterling, Va.) was used to introduce the aminohexylphosphodiester attached to the 5′-end of the oligomer. All internucleotide linkages were P═O (phosphodiester) linkages introduced by CSO oxidation protocol. The final oligonucleotide wasp deprotected and HPLC purified to give the 5′-aminohexyl phosphodiester linked oligonucleotide.

The aminohexyl linked oligonucleotide (50 OD's) was dissolved in sodium bicarbonate (200 μl, 0.1 M, aq) at room temperature. Compound 24 (25 mg, 0.06 mmol) in DMF (100 μL) was added, the resulting suspension was vortexed and allowed to stand overnight at room temperature. The mixture was run through a sephadex G-25 column using water as the solvent. The collected fractions were filtered through a syringe disk filter and purified through a prep-HPLC using a C-4 column as illustrated above. These collected fractions were then evaporated to give the title oligonucleotide.

Acetylsalicylic acid (1.00 g, 5.55 mmol) and DMAP (0.136 g, 1.11 mmol) were dissolved in CH2Cl2 (10 mL) at room temperature under an atmosphere of argon. DCC (1.145 g, 5.55 mmol) was added, the mixture was stirred for about 5 minutes and N-hydroxysuccinimide (0.639 g, 5.55 mmol) was added. The mixture stirred for 4 hours, filtered, CH2Cl2 was added and the mixture was washed twice with water. The organic phase was dried over sodium sulfate, concentrated and dried to give 1.58 g (100%) of the title compound.

5′-Hexanolamine-phosphodiester-TC5MT GAG TAG C5MAG AGG AGC5MC5MT, SEQ ID NO: 3, prepared as per Example 36, (ISIS 11158)(100 OD's) (dried to a white powder) was dissolved in sodium bicarbonate(0.1 M, 200 μL, aq) at room temperature. Compound 38 (25 mg, 0.06 mmol) in DMF (400 μL) was added and the resulting suspension was vortexed and then shaken overnight at room temperature. The resulting material was run through a sephadex G-25 column using water as the eluent. The collected fractions were filtered through a syringe disk filter and purified through a prep-HPLC C-4 column as illustrated above to give after concentration and drying the title oligonucleotide.

The 5′ end of ISIS-27700 was end labeled with 32P using T4 polynucleotide kinase and standard procedures. Unincorporated label was removed using a G25 column and was confirmed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A fixed concentration of labeled oligonucleotide (50 nM) was incubated with increasing concentrations of human serum albumin (Fraction V, essentially Fatty Acid Free, essentially globulin free, Sigma Chemical Company, St. Loluis, Mo.) and incubated at 25° for one hour in PBS plus 0.1 mM EDTA and 0.005% Tween 80. Experiments with longer incubation times demonstrated that full equilibrium was achieved in less than one hour.

Albumin-oligonucleotide mixtures were placed on membranes (Ultrafree-MC 30000, Millipore) and spun very gently at 3000 rpm (725×g) for 3-6 minutes until ˜20% of the volume had passed through the filter. Aliquots of the initial mix (before filtration) and the filtrates were counted in a scintillation counter. After appropriate correction for background, the concentration of free and bound oligonucleotide was calculated.

The low concentration of oligonucleotide, relative to albumin, allows for detection of binding to only the tightest binding site on the albumin. Thus, the fraction of bound oligonucleotide was plotted versus the total albumin concentration and data were fit to a two state model:

where O is unbound oligonucleotide, A is unbound albumin, (OA) is the oligonucleotide-albumin complex and KAis the equilibrium association constant.

Capacity curves:

Capacity curves were measured using a technique similar to that used for the binding curves except a fixed concentration of albumin (50 μM) was employed and the concentration of labeled oligonucleotide was varied. The average number of moles of oligonucleotide bound per mole of protein, VL, was plotted versus free oligonucleotide concentration and fit to a model with two classes of binding sites, each with ni binding sites per protein and association constant, Ki.

Results:

Oligonucleotides tested are listed in Table XII. A comparison was made between an unmodified deoxy diester oligonucleotide (8651) and its 3′ buprofen conjugate (22655) and a uniformly 2′-O-methoxy-ethyl modified phosphodiester oligonucleotide (11158) and its 3′ ibuprofen conjugate (27700). As seen in FIG. 1 and Table XIII, binding of the unconjugated controls was very weak (KD>200 μM). Addition of the ibuprofen conjugate increased the affinity substantially. Binding of the phosphodiester conjugates was comparable to that of phosphorothioate DNA oligonucleotides which are among the tightest binding of all modified oligonucleotides (data not shown). The capacity of HSA for the ibuprofen conjugate was also measured. Binding ratios of 0.75:1 (oligonucleotide: albumin) were achieved for the conjugate. This contrasts to unconjugated oligonucleotides where maximum capacity observed was 0.2:1.

Conclusion:

Phosphodiester oligonucleotides (both 2′-deoxy and 2′-O-methoxyethyl) bound to HSA with weak affinity (KD>200 μM). Phosphorothioate oligonucleotides, in contrast, had greater affinities (KD 3-30 μM). Addition of an ibuprofen conjugate to the 3′ end of a phosphodiester oligonucleotide increased the affinity into the range typical for phosphorothioate oligonucleotides. It was seen that the capacity of HSA for the ibuprofen conjugate was much greater than that for unconjugated oligonucleotides.

TABLE XII

SEQ

ID

NO:

ISIS #

Sequence

Chemistry

Conjugate

3

27700

TC*T GAG TAG C*AG

full MOE PO

3′-

AGG AGC* C*T

ibuprofen

4

11158

TC*T GAG TAG C*AG

full MOE PO

3′-OH

AGG AGC* TC

4

3067

TCT GAG TAG CAG

full deoxy PS

3′-OH

AGG AGC TC

5

22655

TGC ATC CCC CAG

full deoxy PO

3′-

GCC ACC AT

ibuprofen

5

8651

TGC ATC CCC CAG

full deoxy PO

3′-OH

GCC ACC AT

5

3082

TGC ATC CCC CAG

full deoxy PS

3′-OH

GCC ACC AT

C* = 5-methyl cytosine.

TABLE XIII

Equilibrium dissociation constants for modified

oligonucleotides binding to HSA.

SEQ ID NO:

ISIS #

KD (μM)

3

27700

8

4

11158

>400

4

3067

7

5

22655

12

5

8651

>200

5

3082

4

*Equilibrium constants were obtained from data in FIG. 1 as described in the text.

EXAMPLE 432′-O-Hexylaminopalmityl-5′-O-DMT-adenosine 28

2′-O-Hexylamino-5′-O-DMT-adenosine (3.00 g, 4.49 mmol) was dissolved in dichloromethane (60 mL, anh) at room temperature. Diisopropylamine (1.56 mL, 8.98 mmol) and palmitic acid pentafluorophenyl-ester (2.28 g, 5.39 mmol) were added and the mixture was stirred overnight and evaporated. The crude material was purified on a silica column (250 mL) using EtOAc-MeOH (95:5) as the eluent to give ˜4.07 g (˜100%) of the title compound.

EXAMPLE 442′-O-Hexylaminopalmityl-5′-O-DMT-N6-Benzoyladenosine 29

Compound 28 (4.00 g, 4.41 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous pyridine (50 mL) at room temperature under argon. The solution was cooled to ice temperature and chlorotrimethylsilane (1.40 mL, 11.02 mmol) was added. The mixture stirred at ice temperature for ˜30 minutes when benzoyl chloride (1.54 mL, 13.23 mmol) was added. Then it was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred overnight. The mixture was cooled to ice temperature again and cold water (10 mL) was added. It was stirred for 15 minutes, then cold concentrated ammonium hydroxide (10 mL) was added. The mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for 30 minutes, after which it was evaporated. Water (25 mL) was added and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (×3). The organic phase was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated. A 300 mL silica column was run using ethyl acetate-hexanes (50:50) as the solvent to yield 1.83 g (41%) of the title compound.

Compound 29 (1.19 g, 1.18 mmol), succinic anhydride (0.22 g, 1.77 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.09 g, 0.59 mmol), and triethylamine (0.21 mL, 1.18 mmol) were dissolved in 7 mL of 1,2-dichloroethane at room temperature. The reaction mixture (in a test-tube with a screw cap top) was placed in a heating block at 55° C. for 1 hour and then allowed to cool to room temperature overnight. TLC (EtOAc-hexanes, 90:10) showed the absence of starting material. Dichloromethane (70 mL) was added and the mixture was washed three times with 30 mL portions of cold 10% aqueous citric acid followed by three washes with 30 mL portions of water. The organic-phase was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to afford 1.26 g (97%) of the title compound as a foam.

Compound 30 (1.24 g, 1.12 mmol) and 4-dimethylamino-pyridine (0.14 g, 1.12 mmol) were dissolved in acetonitrile (7.0 mL, anh) at room temperature. In another flask, 2,2′-dithiobis-5-nitropyridine (0.35 g, 1.12 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous acetonitrile (4.0 mL) and anhydrous dichloromethane (4.0 mL). This solution was then added to the first flask. In a third flask, triphenylphosphine (0.29 g, 1.12 mmol) was dissolved in acetonitrile (6.0 mL) and then combined with the first flask. Finally, acid-washed LCAA-CPG (4.86 g, 0.56 mmol) was added and the mixture was shaken for ˜2 hours. The resulting resin was washed three times with dichloromethane and ether. Then it was combined with Cap A (21 mL) and Cap B (21 mL, solutions from PerSeptive Biosystems GmbH) and shaken for an additional hour. The resin was then washed again three times with dichloromethane and ether and placed under vacuum overnight to dry. The final loading was determined to be 48 umol/g.

Compound 32 (2.87 g, 3.35 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous pyridine (50 mL) at room temperature under Ar(g). The solution was cooled to ice temperature and chlorotrimethylsilane (1.06 mL, 8.38 mmol) was added. The mixture stirred at ice temperature for ˜30 min. and then benzoyl chloride (1.17 mL, 10.05 mmol) was added. The mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred overnight. The mixture was cooled to ice temperature again and cold water (10 mL) was added with stirring for 15 minutes. Cold concentrated ammonium hydroxide (10 mL) was then added. The mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for 30 minutes and evaporated. Water (25 mL) was added and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (×3). The organic phase was dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated. The resulting material was purified using a 200 mL silica column with ethyl acetate-hexanes (90:10) as the eluant to give 2.50 g (78%) of the title compound.

Compound 33 (2.00 g, 2.08 mmol), succinic anhydride (0.312 g, 3.12 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.127 g, 1.04 mmol), and triethylamine (0.29 mL, 2.08 mmol) were dissolved in 1,2-dichloroethane (9 mL) at room temperature. The reaction mixture (in a test-tube with a screw cap top) was placed in a heating block at 55° C. for 1 hour and then allowed to cool to room temperature overnight. TLC (EtOAc-MeOH, 90:10) showed the absence of starting material. Dichloromethane (90 mL) was added and the mixture was washed three times with 40 mL portions of cold 10% aqueous citric acid followed by three washes with 40 mL portions of water. The organic-phase was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to a foam to give 1.86 g (84%) of the title compound.

Compound 34 (1.80 g, 1.70 mmol) and 4-dimethylamino-pyridine (0.21 g, 1.70 mmol) were dissolved in anhydrous acetonitrile (10.0 mL) at room temperature. In another flask, 2,2′-dithiobis(5-nitropyridine) (0.53 g, 1.70 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous acetonitrile (7.0 mL) and anhydrous dichloromethane (6.0 mL). This solution was then added to the first flask. In a third flask, triphenylphosphine (0.45 g, 1.70 mmol) was dissolved in acetonitrile (8.0 mL) and then combined with the first flask. Finally, acid-washed LCAA-CPG (7.38 g, 0.85 mmol) was added and the mixture was shaken for ˜2 hours. The resulting resin was washed three times with dichloromethane and ether. Then it was combined with Cap A (30 mL) and Cap B (30 mL) solutions from PerSeptive Biosystems GmbH and shaken for an additional hour. The resin was then washed again three times with dichloromethane and ether and placed under vacuum overnight to dry. The final loading was determined to be 50 umol/g.

EXAMPLE 51Procedeure for SEQ ID NO's. 6 and 7

The following modified amidites were used in the above sequences: 2′-O-methoxyethyl-thymidine (RIC, Inc., lot #E1050-P-10), 2′-O-methoxyethyl-5-methylcytidine (lot #S1941/RS ), 2′-O-methoxyethyl-adenosine (lot #EMA-P-14 RIC), and 2′-O-methoxyethyl-guanosine (lot #EMG-P-18U RIC). Compound 35 (which is attached to CPG) was used as the LCAA-CPG solid support for the synthesis of Isis #111494-1 and 111496-1. MDC-1395-94 (compound 31) was used as the LCAA-CPG solid support for the synthesis of Isis #111495-1 and 111497-1.

The required amounts of the amidites (1 M solutions of unmodified nucleosides and 100 mg/mL of modified nucleosides) were placed in dried vials, dissolved in acetonitrile, and connected to the appropriate ports on a Millipore Expedite™ Nucleic Acid Synthesis System (ISIS 4). 60 mg of solid support resin was used in each column for 2×1 umole scale synthesis. The synthesis was run using the IBP-PS(1 umole) double coupling protocol for phosphorothioate backbones. The trityl reports indicated normal coupling results.

After synthesis, the oligonucleotides were deprotected with conc. ammonium hydroxide(aq) at 55° C. for approximately 16 hrs. Then they were evaporated, using a Savant AS160 Automatic SpeedVac, (to remove ammonia) and filtered to remove the CPG-resin.

The crude samples were analyzed by MS, HPLC, and CE. Then they were purified on a Waters 600E HPLC system with a 991 detector using a Waters C18 Prep. scale column (C18 Prep.) and the following solvents: A: 0.1 M aqueous ammonium acetate and B: acetonitrile utilizing the “C18PREP” method.

After purification the oligos were evaporated to dryness and then detritylated with 80% acetic acid at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes and again evaporated. The oligonucleotides were desalted by dissolving them in water with concentrated ammonium hydroxide and running them through a C18 Prep. column using water as the solvent. The oligonucleotides were then washed from the column with acetonitrile. The resulting purified oligonucleotides were evaporated and analyzed by MS, CE and HPLC.

To determine the effect of conjugating a cholesterol group at the 3′-position of a uniform 2′-MOE-phosphodiester 20 mer antisense oligonucleotide both the conjugated as well as the non-conjugated oligonucleotides were prepared. All of the cytosine bases were 5-methylcytosines and all ribosyl sugars were 2′-O-MOE with the exception of the 3′-terminal nucleoside having the cholesterol attached which was a 2′-hydroxycytidine. Attachment of the cholesterol group was via a 6-aminohexyloxy linker at the 3′ position of the conjugated oligonucleotide. The cholesterol molecule is attached to the amino group of the linker via a carbamate linkage.

The plasma concentration of the cholesterol conjugated oligonucleotide (3H, ISIS-16296) was compared to the parent oligonucleotide (3H, ISIS-16952, FIG. 2). The study was performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats using I.V. bolus administration of 3H radiolabeled oligonucleotides. The plasma concentration was maintained at a higher level and was reduced at a slower rate for the conjugated oligonucleotide.

The tissue distribution of the two radio labeled oligonucleotides was examined in Sprague-Dawley rats following I.V. bolus administration (FIG. 3). Almost all of the parent oligonucleotide was seen in the kidney cortex after 24 hours and only baseline amounts of oligonucleotide was seen in the other major organs tested (plasma, liver, spleen, small intestine, large intestine and mesent LN. The distribution profile for the conjugated oligonucleotide showed distribution to all the organs in much higher concentrations that the parent oligonucleotide.

The percent of the dose excreted through the urine was calculated for 0-6 and 6-24 hours for the parent and conjugated oligonucleotides (FIG. 4). About 38% of the parent oligonucleotide or metabolites thereof was excreted within the first 6 hours of administration. Only about 5% of the conjugated oligonucleotide was excreted during the same time periods.

In a similar study, SEQ ID NO: 5 (ISIS-3082) was prepared along with 5 z for a variety of comparative pharmacokinetic studies including protein binding. The parent compound a 20 mer phosphorothioate was compared with the phosphorothioate and phosphodiester 2′-propoxy analogs, a chimeric analog having 2′-propoxy diester wings and a phosphorothioate deoxy center, and 5′-octadecylamine and 5′-(2′-O-hexylamino-carbonyl-oxy-cholesterol)phosphorothioate analogs. This study, in part, reported decreased excretion of the cholesterol modified oligonucleotide relative to the parent phosphorothioate oligonucleotide (Crooke et al., The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 1996, 277:923-937).

It was observed that a PO/MOE-cholesterol conjugated oligonucleotide (16296) exhibited improved binding compared to the PO/MOE analog (16952), but is still a weak binder compared to the 2′-methoxyethoxy-substituted phosphorothioate (PS/MOE) oligonucleotide (11159). The PO/MOE-ibuprofen conjugate (27700), however, not only exhibited improved binding compared to the unconjugated PO/MOE analog (16952), but also showed tighter binding that the PS analog (3067) or the PS/MOE analog (11159). These results are shown below in Table XVI.

Among the various phenothiazine ligands, 2-chloro-10-(2-carboxyethyl)-phenothiazine was selected as a conjugated ligand for illustrative purposes. 2-chloro-10-(2-carboxyethyl)-phenothiazine (Melikian et al., J. Pharm. Sci,. 1977, 66:228, 1977) is converted to pentafluorophenyl ester using pentafluorophenol and DCC. This compound is then condensed with 3′-O-(6-aminohexyl)-5′-O-DMT uridine and further converted to its controlled pore glass derivative. Oligonucleotides are synthesized from the controlled pore glass as described for other examples.

These peptides were synthesized in the solid phase synthesizers. At the amino terminal end, 6-hexene-carboxylic acid is coupled. After deprotection of the peptide, the olefinic linkage is converted into an aldehyde using OsO4/N-methyl-morpholine oxide followed by NaIO4—oxidation. The aldehyde containing peptide is conjugated to O—NH2 linked oligonucleotides. Surface plasmon resonance experiments indicated that these peptide conjugated oligonucleotides bind to cell surface integrins.

Claims (13)

1. An oligonucleotide covalently attached to an arylpropionic acid that interacts with human serum albumin,

wherein the arylpropionic acid is selected from the group consisting of ibuprofen, suprofen, ketoprofen, (S)-(+)-pranoprofen, and carprofen.

2. The oligonucleotide of claim 1 wherein said arylpropionic acid binds to said human serum albumin.

3. The oligonucleotide of claim 1 wherein said oligonucleotide comprises a plurality of nucleosides connected by covalent internucleoside linkages.

4. The oligonucleotide of claim 3 wherein said linkages are phosphodiester linkages.

5. The oligonucleotide of claim 3 wherein said linkages are phosphorothioate linkages.

6. The oligonucleotide of claim 3 wherein said linkages are non-phosphorus-containing linkages.

7. The oligonucleotide of claim 3 wherein at least one of said nucleosides bears a 2′-substituent group.

8. The oligonucleotide of claim 7 wherein said 2′-substituent group is O-alkylalkoxy.

9. The oligonucleotide of claim 8 wherein said 2′-sustituent group is methoxyethoxy.

10. A method of increasing the concentration of an oligonucleotide in human serum comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting an arylpropionic acid that is known to bind to human serum albumin;

(b) covalently-attaching said arylpropionic acid to said oligonucleotide to form a conjugated oligonucleotide; and

(c) adding said conjugated oligonucleotide to said human serum,

wherein the concentration of said oligonucleotide in human serum is increased; and

wherein the arylpropionic acid is selected from the group consisting of ibuprofen, suprofen, keroprofen, (S)-(+)-pranoprofen, and carprofen.

11. The method claim 10 wherein said arylpropionic acid is ibuprofen.

12. A method of increasing the capacity of human serum for an oligonucleotide comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting an arylpropionic acid that is known to bind to human serum albumin;

(b) covalently attaching said arylpropionic acid to said oligonucleotide to form a conjugated oligonucleotide; and

(c) adding said conjugated oligonucleotide to said human serum,

wherein the capacity of human serum is increased for said oligonucleotide; and

wherein the arylpropionic acid is selected from the group consisting of ibuprofen, suprofen, ketoprofen, (S)-(+)-pranoprofen, and carprofen.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said human serum albumin has a binding site for said oligonucleotide and a binding site for said arylpropionic acid; wherein said binding site for said oligonucleotide is distinct from said binding site for said arylpropionic acid.